LOOT: MAD ABOUT JEWELRY POP-UP EVENT

Open to the public from April 4 through 8, 2017, the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) will hold their annual exhibition and sale of contemporary art jewelry. Now in its 17th edition, LOOT presents a cross-section of the most exciting cutting-edge art jewelry designs, while offering the public a rare opportunity to meet and acquire pieces directly from some of the most skilled creators in the field – most of whom have never before shown work in the United States.

"This annual five-day pop-up store is a one-of-a-kind event," said Marsy Mittlemann, the 2017 LOOT Chairman. "I am thrilled to introduce these fifty-four emerging contemporary jewelry artists to the New York City community. The opportunity to buy these unique pieces of jewelry, and to meet the artists while supporting the Museum and its mission, is very meaningful to me."

Each year, collectors and jewelry enthusiasts flock to MAD's LOOT event to learn about jewelers' processes, materials, and concepts, and to purchase works directly from their makers. With all of the designers present on site throughout the exhibition and sale, LOOT is one of New York's most unique museum experiences. Proceeds benefit MAD's exhibition and education programs.

This year's edition welcomes 54 artists from 21 countries, the majority of whom have never been shown in New York. All were selected by Pomp following a full year of travel and research. For the first time, LOOT will feature three artists from Iceland and one from Romania. There will also be artists from Argentina (1), Australia (1), Austria (1), Belgium (1), Canada (1), Denmark (3), Finland (2), France (5), Germany (4), Greece (2), Holland (1), Israel (1), Italy (5), Korea (2), Norway (1), Portugal (1), Spain (2), United Kingdom (10), and United States (6).

"Each year, I seek to present materials that even I have not seen in my decades of work in the field of jewelry," said LOOT curator Bryna Pomp. "The 2017 presentation includes driftwood, neoprene, marble, sheer plywood, textiles, ceramic, aluminum, beading, and acrylic. A significant trend this year is the use of recycled materials, including china tableware, plastic bottles and shopping bags, and even skateboards."

ARTIST HIGHLIGHTS

Aino Favén (Finland) moves between art and design to explore the achievements of nature and man. Her pieces made of translucent plastic bags are subtle comments on the large trash islands floating in oceans and endangering nature and wildlife. They also serve as memorial garlands for birds and other animals who have died from eating plastic waste.

Delphine Nardin (France) designs jewelry around pieces of found sea glass, rough stones formed billions of years ago, and other collected relics. She combines these found eroded treasures with 18-karat gold or silver to create completely unique, delicate, and understated pieces of wearable history, which forge new links between archaeology and modernity.

Ferràn Iglesias Barón (Spain) has over 20 years of experience in goldsmithing, encompassing academic studies and written publications, teaching, and exhibitions. He is the recipient of numerous awards. Essence and meaning are two driving forces of his growth and creative process. Barón uses the interaction of different mediums and chromas to express emotion, transcending aesthetics to create a new form of beauty and appeal.

Gerda and Nikolai Monies – The story of the Monies began in 1973, when Gerda and Nikolai Monies met at a school for goldsmiths. They have been partners in business and life ever since. The Monies have developed their own unique style of distinc­tive, oversized jewelry throughout the years. They view each piece of jewelry as a sculpture, and they are committed to bringing out the full potential of the materials they use. This leads to jewelry that radiates a dramatic beauty of art, craft, and especially nature. Each piece of bone, horn, stone, or other natural material has been given its own unique quality by nature's hand. The art of the Monies' craft is to bring these colors, textures, and shapes together in a synthesis of drama and individu­ality. Each piece is an artwork that radiates tranquility with a touch of magic.

Guðbjörg Ingvarsdóttir (Iceland) takes inspiration from the Icelandic wilderness. She allows her collections to continually evolve, underlining the organic process of translating concept into finished article.

Helga Mogensen (Iceland) creates neckpieces of all sorts, as well as smaller-scale works such as earrings, using driftwood in combination with thread and sterling silver. Mogensen considers the thread to represent human connection.

Iradj Moini (United States), a jewelry designer with a background in architecture, specializes in the usage of bold stones. In 2006, his jewelry was on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of Iris Apfel's collection, in addition to being featured at the Louvre, where he has three pieces in the permanent collection.

Julie Decubber – French designer Julie Decubber specializes in antique porcelain and earthenware plates, turning ordinary objects into unique jewels in order to tell people's stories and explore the theme of memory. Universal but particular to each country, plates are part of our daily lives, our customs. Decubber cuts, melts, or assembles pieces in order to highlight what is precious in the ordinary, applying techniques of the jeweler, stonecutter, and potter to generate elegant and unexpected combinations. Inspired by travel, she has trained with jewelers and craftsmen from several countries, and on her return to France she studied with a master of art. Since 2014, she has created jewelry in her studio in Paris.

Konrad Laimer (Italy) has defined his works through themed workshops ranging from jewelry to objects and graphics. Through installations, international workshops, and multimedia works, he transfers his concepts to various artistic mediums and locations. The Alps have become Laimer's main source of inspiration in regard to both themes and materials.

Julie Decubber (France) specializes in antique porcelain and earthenware plates, turning ordinary objects into unique jewels that explore the theme of memory. Decubber cuts and reassembles pieces in order to highlight what is precious in the ordinary, applying techniques of the jeweler, stonecutter, and potter to generate elegant and unexpected combinations.

Michelle Cangiano (Australia) produces limited-edition handmade contemporary jewelry and one-off pieces for private commissions. For her "Paper Cuts" collection, Cangiano draws on her painting background and employs the simple yet time-consuming technique of threading and knotting paper discs to create pieces that seem to shift and change color as they move with the wearer.

Olivia Creber – Based in London, Olivia Creber creates handcrafted and materialistically experimental jewelry and objects. Her collection "Beyond Crystal Planes," inspired by the rusty Australian Outback and the stunning coastal cliffs of the Sussex South Downs, consists of pieces designed to sit on skin and reflect the natural growth of crystals and minerals native to these locations. Made with a combination of precious and non-precious materials, her jewelry transforms the body into a rocky, textural, and strikingly natural visual landscape. The softness of the color palette balances the hardness of the materials found within the landscape, complementing the color range of human skin.

Sunyoung Kim (Korea) finds inspiration in the world of plants, which though frail have a strong hold on life. She focuses on representing this strength with thin metal plates, which she processes through hammering and injection using various chasing tools.