Lauren Kalman
by Kirsten and Stacey
As we know, it is not common practise to attend contemporary jewellery exhibitions in South Africa, however, last week I had the pleasure of doing just that.
Lauren Kalman, an American born contemporary jeweller had the opening of her exhibition ‘Spectacular’ at the US Gallery in Stellenbosch. Having studied at the Ohio State University in 2006, Kalman majored in art and technology and then went on to showcase her work at various group and solo exhibitions.
I first came across Lauren’s work in my second year at the University of Stellenbosch. Kalman visited the art department and stayed in South Africa, whilst working on her collection. Then in 2010 Kalman curated a contemporary jewellery exhibition, showcasing 20 contemporary jewellers from the Stellenbosch area, ‘Dichotomies in Objects: Contemporary South African Studio Jewellery from the Stellenbosch Area’.
So although Lauren Kalman is not a South African jeweller, I feel she deserves a mention.
‘Spectacular’ dealt with the spectacle of ‘freak shows’ or ‘side shows’ creating body garments that emphasised the obscene or uncomfortable parts of the male and female body. With the garments on exhibition, Kalman also had video installations showcasing the garments on models, forcing the viewer to be drawn into the spectical.
Always a shock to the South African public, but how else will they learn?
Find exhibition video on VIMEO:
nobody actually needs jewellery 