New Jewelry Exhibition Opens In Georgetown

GEORGETOWN, DC — A new exhibition in Georgetown is highlighting the work of three emerging jewelry artists.

"True Grid" — based out of Jewelers' Werk Galerie on Cady's Alley — opened Saturday, Sept. 14. It showcases the works of Samira Goetz, Joohee Han, and Nadine Kuffner.

"This exhibition juxtaposes the trio's work in a conversation that began at the renowned Akademie der Bildenden Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) in Munich, where the artists studied together," according to the exhibition's press release. "The title True Grid references the backdrop the artists created on which to display their pieces — a sort of coordinate system — as well as the repetitive and constructive elements in their work. Despite these connections, each artist's work is strikingly distinct, especially with respect to materials.

Goetz, winner of the Mari Funaki Prize for Emerging Artist in 2018, uses concrete — a material that artists usually don't use to make jewelry. Surprisingly light and wearable, Goetz shapes the concrete to resemble streets of window-less homes.

"In my latest work I use most basic geometric forms, created out of the emblematic building material concrete; assembled to miniature streets of windowless houses," Goetz told Patch. "The pieces suggest a reversion of detail and structure, with the body as focal point."

"The elements of the neckpieces are grey or pastelist and look compact yet are hollow. But most of all, they are similar to each other; there is a clear belonging together and reflecting on one another," she continued. "The hollow inside of the shapes — as well as the technical aspects (assembly of the necklace, brooch backs) — are not revealed at first sight and can remain the wearer's 'private view' of the pieces."

Unlike Goetz, Han uses stainless steel. And in her hands, the steel — considered a heavy and durable material — becomes light and skeletal in structure.

"The outer shape of the pieces imitates the appearance of fleeting structures, organic silhouettes of clouds and soap bubbles surrounding and expanding the body…the fragile appearance belies the enormous stability of the wire constructions," said Han.

Kuffner's work is very process-oriented. Using tin — a non-precious, soft metal — Kuffner creates chic, statement-worthy pieces. She pours the molten tin so it "piles up like cooled lava onto a hilly landscape," according to the press release.

"In the hierarchy of materials used for jewelry, tin has a very low value. For this project it was an interesting aspect to work with and to talk about the social phenomenon of hierarchy," Kuffner told Patch. "Using a non-precious material with a low melting temperature enabled me to work freely with the liquid metal. There is no hierarchy between me and the material. My hands tell or show the tin a possible way of becoming form, but in the end the material does what it wants, and I have to accept the outcome. Together we created a choreography of movement and form, a highly concentrated but quick and spontaneous process. We draw lines and shapes, creating images and/or jewelry."

"True Grid" will be on display during the gallery's regular business hours, through Friday, Oct. 4:

• Mondays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.