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Luck without magic in Sydney 22 August 2012
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Author Archives: ekeko
As Liane Rossler says, ‘Better an ounce of luck than a pound of gold’
Liane Rossler, ex-director of Dinosaur Designs and co-founder of Happy Talk kindly opened Joyaviva at UTS Gallery Sydney on the last night of July 2012.
Thank you for inviting me to open this very special exhibition.
Joyaviva means live jewellery, and it has been fascinating to walk around the show with Kevin and hear the stories about each piece. I love the quote ‘what can you pin your hopes on?’
Some of the pieces in the show might be very small, but they are still very powerful. They are a way to connect people. Each one was made with a deep intention, and they are designed with possibility and action in mind.
As a curator, Kevin has been connecting countries across the latitude from South America to the Pacific, and looked at all the ways that different cultures engage in traditions.
In each particular place, people have different needs of luck, different hopes and fears. From early times, we have created ways to share our fears and concerns with others. Often this was an amulet or talisman to protect us. Some concerns like love and good health are eternal, while others change and evolve. In the early days, people were concerned about the harvest or the afterlife, while these days we have concerns such as how we will do in our exams or how we’ll go in a job interview.
The value and the importance of the objects doesn’t come from the materials, such as gold and diamonds that we usually associate with valuable jewellery, but from the story, which in this case is more important. It relates to the Yiddish expression: ‘Better an ounce of luck than a pound of gold’. It makes us reconsider what is valuable.
This jewellery is quiet and personal, and is often worn unseen or under your clothing. It’s a quiet power, and one that might only be known to the wearer or the giver of the work.
Often the maker of the work is very thoughtful and contemplative when making the piece, and through the thoughts that they embody in the piece, they have the capacity to give somebody something when they really need it.
This exhibition shows objects just at their beginning. Many pieces are out in the world collecting stories. Some have been written about on the Luck bank, another part of the Joyaviva project, where people submit stories and then they can then get their luck back with interest. Luck is renewable, free, and available to all, but the best way to get good luck is to share good luck.
There are so many unique and interesting experiences covered in this exhibition, and I encourage you to read each one and then some of the follow up stories.
There is a beautiful fertility symbol made from a tactile river stone cut into two, where you put some cotton wool and a seed and in it, and it sprouts life.
Katherine Yeats has made charms for preschoolers, which are made from blankets and wood and are designed to be held. They are given to young children when they have mastered a special task like getting dressed by themselves or learning to ride their bike. They’re a way of protection and encouragement and giving confidence.
I’m wearing my Maryann Talia Pau Power Sista pendant tonight, which were she designed to give to friends, and be worn when someone in the circle needs collective encouragement. Knowing you are in a network of friends gives you strength. I’m also thinking of Maryann tonight as she couldn’t be with us.
Alice Whish has made a series of sand, and each one has sand melted onto it that has been collected from the beach. They are designed to make children feel brave and calm when they are doing their Naplan tests.
Blanche Tilden piece – jewellery is traditionally about holding onto gold. She collected her filings over 15 years and made them into an ingot. You rub it with a little file to create a shower of gold.
On the wall – This too shall pass by Sarah Read from NZ. You buy a piece for $10 and when you remove the card, it reveals a gold wall, so as well as spreading good thoughts that bad things will pass, Sarah aims to create a gold wall. Make sure you buy one..
Walka Studio from Chile have made a Cornucopia piece which is about social and sharing environments. They create great nights, and then people take away a piece to remember and cherish the occasion of good times.
So thank you all from coming. I congratulate Kevin, the artists and everyone involved in this project.
I hope you take away something tonight, even if it is only a thought, that will be a happy memory from this exhibition.
Joyaviva continues in Sydney until the end of August 2012.
This too shall pass–call for Sydney
This too shall pass evolved in response to the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
It aims to support red-zoned contemporary jewellery gallery THE NATIONAL by engaging the wider community in small acts of generosity.
Money is raised by the sale of THIS TOO SHALL PASS ribbons, which are:
· assembled by well-wishers who volunteer their time, then
· distributed by galleries that waive their commission fees, then
· gifted on by purchasers to anyone who could need a little extra help
The project will tour NZ and overseas through 2012 and 2013.
Ribbons are $10. Please select your card/s from the display and donate online:
· Go to http://www.joyaviva.net
· Navigate via Aotearoa/New Zealand to Sarah Read
· Use the Donate button to make a credit card payment
Thank you x
Sarah Read July 2012
About THE NATIONAL
After the destruction of its High Street premises in February 2011, The NATIONAL continued to trade with barely a break, staging a series of popup shows and other initiatives (including Jacqui Chan’s Host a Brooch).
At the start of 2012 the gallery reopened at 212 Madras St, in the newly strengthened and restored NG building, which stands at the edge of the shattered CBD.
Left to right: July 2012: Approaching THE NATIONAL on Madras St, View of THE NATIONAL from the street,
View of Madras St from THE NATIONAL
Las perlas se quedaron enredadas
Una tercera voluntaria quiso usar mi amuleto. Ella es Ximena Villanueva, vive en Chile, es periodista y trabaja como directora de comunicaciones del Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral, en Santiago. Me divierte mucho leer su testimonio y ver cómo Ximena se esforzó por activarlo, pero la suerte hizo lo suyo: las perlas se quedaron enredadas en su vestido y no cayeron al suelo!
1r día: Voy a buscar el amuleto que me mandaron desde EEUU en una lluviosa noche. Me lo trajo un amigo de Analya de extraordinaria buena voluntad, al igual que su madre ,quien me lo entregó en un frío estacionamiento. Al parecer ni el amigo de Analya ni su madre sabían del contenido. Solo entendían que era de alto valor para su destinataria y que DEBÍA ser entregado. Lo abro adentro del auto. Brilla en la oscuridad y lo adoré por su belleza y delicadeza.
2do día: Saco el amuleto en el metro y leo las instrucciones ante la curiosidad de la gente. Me pongo un poco nerviosa imaginando cómo lo haré. Me pongo el amuleto en la oficina y ensayo la performance. Todos mis compañeros de trabajo lo toman, preguntan, opinan que es precioso y quieren saber qué hay adentro. Me convierto en una persona misteriosa. Llego a la casa y lo vuelvo a probar y ensayar.
Semanas siguientes: Descubro que solo puedo utilizar el amuleto en la oficina porque mi hijo de casi 3 años, solo quiere jugar con él.
En una importante reunión de trabajo se interrumpe la conversación laboral para comentar lo enigmático que es el amuleto. Me pongo roja de vergüenza.
Busco oportunidades para usar el amuleto, no las encuentro. Me junto con mis compañeras de colegio. Una interrumpe la conversación para preguntarme por el amuleto. Pienso en abrirlo, pero no era el contexto, estábamos hablando algo personal de una amiga, no quise interrumpir.
Algunos días se me queda el amuleto en la casa (lo escondo de mi hijo y cuando salgo se me olvida usarlo). Otras veces lo protejo de la ropa invernal: bufanda y abrigo podrían hacer que lo pierda.
Creo una situación para usarlo en la oficina: después de tener una reunión a puerta cerrada con una persona “importante”, llamo a mi equipo conformado por un grupo de jóvenes periodistas. Les digo que necesito decirles algo, pero desagradable. Ellos expectantes esperan que yo hable. Abro el amuleto, comienzan a caer las perlas, pero nadie comenta nada, están nerviosos esperando que yo hable.
Ante el mutismo, comienzo a agitar el amuleto para que caigan las perlas con escándalo, pero no veo que caigan al suelo. Desesperada, miro y veo que todas las perlas han quedado retenidas en mi vestido invernal. Todos se ríen, me las saco del vestido mientras sigo hablando. Como nadie se agita, vuelvo abrirlo y esta vez sí caen al suelo. Me ayudan a recogerlas. Todos se ríen y esta vez, espontáneamente, vuelvo a botar las perlas. Sueltan la carcajada y terminamos con alegría la reunión.
Pese a que la performance no cumplió con mi expectativa (creo que lo forcé y me sentí incómoda en un momento), disfruté mucho el proceso, especialmente el misterio generado a través de un objeto hermoso. Fueron semanas que me distrajeron y me permitieron conocerme en una faceta que me cuesta mucho. No quedé conforme conmigo misma, pero lo pasé bien. Me gustaría prestárselo a alguien menos racional para ver otra experiencia.
The beads were entangled
A third volunteer wanted to use my charm. She is Ximena Villanueva lives in Chile, is a journalist and works as communications director Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center in Santiago. It amuses me to read her testimony and see how Ximena strove to activate it, but it luck played along: the beads were entangled in her dress and did not fall down!
1st day: I’ll get the amulet from the U.S. sent me on a rainy night. I received it from friend of Analya of extraordinary good will, like her mother, who gave it to me in a cold parking lot. Apparently neither friend nor his mother knew Analya content. Just understand that it was of high value for her recipient and should be delivered. I open it in the car. Glow in the dark and loved it for its beauty and delicacy.
2nd day: I get the amulet on the subway and read the instructions to the curiosity of people. I get a little nervous imagining how I will use it. I put the amulet on in the office and test it out. All my co-workers take it, they ask, say it’s beautiful and want to know what’s inside. I become a mysterious person. I get home and back to try and test.
Weeks later: I discover I can only use the amulet in the office because my son almost 3 years, only wants to play with it.
In an important work meeting is interrupted the conversation to discuss this enigmatic work that is the amulet. I turn red with embarrassment.
Seeking opportunities to use the amulet, but can not find them. I am with my schoolmates. They interrupt the conversation to ask for the amulet. I think to open it, but not the context we were talking about something personal from a friend, I did not interrupt.
Some days I have the amulet in the house (I hide it from my son and I forget when I go to use it). Other times I protect winter apparel: scarf and coat could make you lose it.
I think a situation to use in the office, after having a closed door meeting with someone “important”, I call my team made up of a group of young journalists. I say I need to say something, but unpleasant. They expect me to talk expectantly. I open the amulet, the beads begin to fall, but no one says anything, they are nervous waiting for me to talk.
In response to their silence, I begin to shake the amulet to release the pearls, but I see they don’t hit the ground. Desperate, I look and see that all the pearls have been retained in my winter clothes. Everyone laughs, the shake the dress as I continue talking. Since no one stirred, open the fold and this time they fall to the ground. Help me pick them up. They all laugh and this time, naturally, I turn to throw the pearls. Burst out laughing and ended up with joy the meeting.
Although the performance did not meet my expectation (I think I forced it and felt uncomfortable in a moment), I enjoyed the process, especially the mystery generated by a beautiful object. Weeks had distracted me and let me know in a side that cost me a lot. As I was not myself, but I enjoyed it. I would lend it to someone less rational to see another experience.