Maker – Wearer – Viewer, an exhibition of contemporary narrative by over 70 makers from 20 European countries, has opened at Glasgow School of Art.

Narrative jewellery is jewellery that has a story to tell, and the name of the exhibition comes from the triangular relationship that develops between the maker, who created the piece, the wearer, who is the vehicle by which it is seen and who is making their own personal statement by wearing it, and the viewer, who engages with the work.

The idea to bring together narrative jewellery from across Europe sprung from a conversation between jeweller Jack Cunningham, who curated the exhibition, and curator and anthropologist, Eva Julien Kausel, about exploring the cultural differences between nations and whether this still exists when the internet is creating a connected global village. 

Jack explains “There is research to suggest differences in our creative expression as a result of, for example, political and cultural values, environment and education.  Can these differences, as distinct from those of say the United States, where narrative is a popular vehicle for autobiographical self expression, or Asia, be observed or measured through the creative outcomes of contemporary jewellers; do these artefacts demonstrate evidence of social or cultural phenomena?”

The exhibition includes work by leading European jewellers Conrad Mehus, Ruudt Peters, and Ramon Puig Cuyas as well as by Scottish jewellers Eileen Gatt, Hannah Louise Lamb and Jack Cunningham.

The exhibition is on at Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G3 6RQ tel: 0141 353 4500 from 5 March to 12 April 2005.  Opening hours Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm, closed on Sundays.  

The exhibition then moves to the Scottish Gallery from 6 to 29 June and visits the Galerie Marzee in the Netherlands from 3 October to 24 November 2005.

Read our exhibition review.