This brooch appeared in the Studies in Soft Movement exhibition which took place from 6 October to 22 October 2023 at Brunswick Street Gallery in Fitzroy, Melbourne. This piece is a collaborative work by Annabelle Stonehouse (porcelain component) and Nicola (silver component). It is made from porcelain, and fine silver and sterling silver, and measures 4 x 6.5 x 3 cm.
Below is a description of the exhibition:
Studies in Soft Movement is part of the 2023 Craft Contemporary Festival and is a collaborative exhibition between Melbourne/Naarm-based ceramicist Anabelle Stonehouse and Canberra/Ngunnawal/Ngambri-based contemporary jeweller Nicola Knackstredt.
Although coming from different material practices, the artists share a common relationship to their materials: both explore softness and femininity with reference to the folds and draping of fabric—Anabelle in porcelain, and Nicola in silver.
The artists both engage in a liminal space by using materials that are at once hard and soft, fragile and durable. Delicate frills and swirls can be seen in both artists’ work, evoking a sense of gentle movement.
Using traditional and sometimes unconventional craft techniques, both artists transform delicate details and fluid forms into repetitive sequences by hand, which in turn become unique, small-scale artworks.
Having discovered each other’s work and shared aesthetic, the artists have collaborated over the last few months and explored the similarities between their practices. Incorporating new materials into their work allowed for a deeper understanding and new perspective. This exhibition is a culmination of that relationship, and provides a shared space for the artists to showcase the gentle movement of fabric through porcelain and silver.