Jewelry is many things – it is performative, personal, sentimental, and ultimately, meant to be worn. As we view jewelry in an exhibition space, we are often confronted with the absence of this critical connection to the body.
Utilizing the convention of a “Missed Connections” ad from Craigslist as a starting point, this jewelry exhibition pairs works of contemporary jewelry with words – describing who, where, and how the work should be worn. Each work and story imagines a bodily encounter where the jewelry is a crucial detail.
Missed Connections will take place during the 2024 Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference. The exhibition is co-curated by Jess Tolbert and Lyndsay Rice, with logistical support from Kerianne Quick.