Useful. Even When It Seems to Be Useless
Yiqing Cai, Fragile!, pin
that is f-utile
A project by Valentina Romen with works by Marta Boan, Yiqing Cai, Tereza Duskova, Jovana Popic and Vincent Vintage Bijoux
Opening: Wednesday 27th of November, 6 pm
Exhibition from Thursday 28th of November to Saturday 14th of December 2019 from 2 to 8 pm
Spazio Sanfermosette
via San Fermo 7 – Milan
It is not true that art is useless. Art seduces us with the importance of being useless and embodies important social, economic, aesthetic, magic and ritual functions.
Jewels in particular always had precise functions. The seal guaranteed authenticity, buttons and buckles supported the dress, the amulet attracted fortune or prevented bad luck, the spices contained in the pomander revived the senses or relieved discomfort, the châtelaine united everyday necessities on the belt, a ring could communicate loyalty to someone.
The group show Useful brings together the work of three contemporary jewellery designers, a drawing by a visual artist and a selection of historical objects from the collection of Manuel Menini (Vincent Vintage Bijoux). Each artist cultivating his own curiosity, the only real engine to understand the usefulness of the useless and the uselessness of the useful.
Marta Boan (Barcelona) dedicates the body of work “Useful” to utility, jewels with a hidden function. The goldsmith artist is interested in changing the vision of things, without inventing anything new, but simply doing the object again in her own way, with an aesthetic reduced to the minimum. martaboan.com
The jewellery artist Tereza Duskova (Düsseldorf) has a joyful approach to design. Calming with a rattle, playing narcissistically with your own reflection or simply enjoying a moment of ephemeral beauty with a magic candle. Who wears her jewellery becomes an active part in the action. terezaduskovastudio.com
“Risk of fracture” by the jewellery artist Yiqing Cai (Düsseldorf) remembers a birth bracelet. Choker or arm band, a layer of porcelain is embedded in silicone. In order to wear it, a gesture of damage is necessary. yiqingcai.com
Some historical pieces take us back to the sophisticated aesthetics of the useful jewel, collected by Manuel Menini in his boutique Vincent Vintage Bijoux (Milan). The magnifying glass or the golden pen around the neck, precious tools to be used. vincentvintagebijoux.com
In the work “Routes” the multimedia artist Jovana Popic (Berlin) reinterprets the notes taken by the pilots on radium-soaked plates during night flights in the Second World War. Their military use is transformed into a code drawing, into a diary based personal testimony. jovanapopic.com
Marta Boan, Useful Hexagon of 02 Useful Hexagon of 03, titanium, gold 18kt, elastic
Tereza Duskova, Narcissus, white brass, steel
Yiqing Cai, Risk of fracture, porcelain and silicone
Vincent Vintage Boutique, a variety of useful jewels from the XIX century
Jovana Popic, Route #39, 2019, pencil and pen drawing on synthetic resin, cm 18×29