Manchester Jewellers Network Exhibition
“Articles of Hope, Adornments for Justice”
MJN's 2009 exhibition is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Image shown: Caroline Royal "Freedom, Liberty, Power"
Each of the eleven members of the network have created one piece of ‘body adornment’ based on a different Human Rights Article and interpreted their article in an individual and often very personal way.
Fundamental themes and issues interpreted within the jewellery pieces include freedom of choice, hunger, industrial disease, medical rights, the female right to vote, knife crime and China’s rule over Tibet, many challenging themes included within this one innovative exhibition!
The Manchester Jewellers Network decided to undertake on this significant project in order to try and raise the profile of the following:
• Jewellery as an Art Form and therefore the existence of the jewellery talent in Manchester
• Jewellery as a potential vehicle to adorn the wearer and yet challenge the viewer in response to both style, materials and imbibed meaning.
• Human Rights issues that are of concern to everyone in our multi-cultural society. How they have been abused both historically and currently.
• How Human Rights issues are being addressed to give hope for the future and how individuals can make a difference.
The pieces of ‘body adornment’ featured in the exhibition include large scale neck pieces, pins/brooches, a ring, sash and arm cuff, the pieces worn close to the body create an intimate relationship with the physical self and provide an opportunity to convey expressions through materials and pose questions and stimulate response by the viewer. The exhibition opens in Manchester at the Royal Exchange theatre in July 2009 and in conjunction
with the Manchester International Festival and will feature a photography exhibition to support the work. The exhibition will then go on to tour the UK and internationally and culminate in a charity auction where proceeds of the jewellery sales will go towards human rights charities.