This November, Lyon &Turnbull, will again partner with the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh to present Elements: A Festival of Jewellery, Silver & Gold. Alongside the exquisite selling fair the festival team are proud to present this year’s exhibition Renewal.
Renewal, marks the first visit to the UK of the European Silversmiths Forum, also known as the HammerClub; an annual gathering of renowned silversmiths from around the world that in 2019 was hosted by the North-East Scottish city of Dundee, the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design.
Renewal takes its theme from the regeneration of the 2019 host city, which over the last few years has not only received UNESCO status but has also become home to the iconic V&A design museum. The exhibition - organised by Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design with the support of the Goldsmiths’ Centre and The Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh – will explore renewal through the re-use of materials, innovation and new emergent technologies as well as new designs for familiar objects, modernisation of traditional techniques and the development of form and within nature.
Featuring work from international silversmiths from Belgium, China, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, South Korea, UK and the USA, who employ a wide diversity and range in the techniques, materials, and cultural styles of silversmithing.
“Throughout history, silversmithing has renewed itself through the next generation and their social, cultural and economic influences. This continues to this day. It is clear that the field is vibrant and brimming with ideas," remarks Dr Sandra Wilson of Duncan of Jordanstone.
It is hoped that Renewal will introduce visitors to the nature and form of contemporary silversmithing and renew enthusiasm for this beautiful, lustrous material that tells incredible stories. Silver has shifted from being used to display wealth, to acting as a centre piece, conversation starter and medium for sharing ideas and stories. For example, the work by Scottish maker Bryony Knox brings to life an old legend from the Isle of Jura; in winter the swallows dive into the water, transform into fish and then re-emerge in the spring as swallows again. We are sure that these pieces will captivate and excite public enthusiasm for silver and its ability to stimulate conversations on a variety of topics.
A highlight os the annual HammerClub gatherings is the public forging of the ‘common bowl’, a communal act of making by all the participating silversmiths over the period of the event. Forged from fair-mined silver provided by the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh the 2019 bowl will be on display for the first time as part of Renewal.
Renewal will be take place in Edinburgh as part of the annual Elements: Festival of Jewellery, Silver & Gold from 08 to 10 November 2019.
ELEMENTS | A Festival of Jewellery, Silver & Gold
Friday 08 to Sunday 10 November 2019
Lyon & Turnbull, 33 Broughton Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3RR