By Editor Design.nl / 03-12-2009

Since the 1960's jewellery design in The Netherlands has developed in a fascinating way. The Museum of Modern Art in Arnhem traces this development and draws on its rich jewellery collection to showcase this history.

Around 1965, The Netherlands experienced a true revolution in the jewellery field. Young silversmiths, and jewellery designers as they are now known like Gijs Bakker and Emmy van Leersum started moving away from the traditional pearl necklaces and brooches from the jeweller. They started making jewellery in which the concept was the basis for the design and the choice of materials and started experimenting with the use of non-precious materials such as textiles, aluminium and perspex. Jewellery became wearable objects.

In the eighties it was more about people and especially the relationship between jewellery and the human body. The jewellery of this period often possessed strong narrative, figurative and symbolic qualities. In the last two decades, no single style can be observed. The work of a contemporary jewellery designer is individual and has a conceptual bias.

Of the new crop of jewellery designers from the 70s, a large group was predominantly educated at the Academy in Arnhem. In this period, the Museum of Modern Art Arnhem began with its purchase of mostly modern Dutch jewellery, growing to become one of the most important jewellery collections in the Netherlands. Recently the museum has benefited from a generous donation received from a private collector. This selection from the rich and fascinating collection of the museum showcases the continued development of Dutch jewellery from the past 45 years.

The exhibition includes work from Gijs Bakker, Emmy van Leersum, Nicolaas van Beek, LAM de Wolf, Nel Linssen, Ruudt Peters, Herman Hermsen, Maria Hees, Felieke van der Leest, Ted Noten and more.

Dutch Jewellery from 1965 until now
4 December 2009 until 28 February 2010
Museum of Modern Art, Arnhem

Main image: Ted Noten, 'Boksbeugel'
Image: Philip Sajet, 'Castlering'

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