Salt of the Earth

Venue

Somerset House, London

When

Audience

Open to the Public - FREE

Salt of the Earth 2019

International Fashion Showcase: Part of London Fashion Week
Brave New Worlds: The changing landscape of fashion

11- 24 February 2019
Somerset House, London

Salt of the Earth examines the concept of power and submission through the talismanic properties of jewellery and adornment. Exploring the complex historical, political and chemical properties of salt, the collection forms part of a conceptual installation at Somerset House during London Fashion Week 2019.

The pieces look at salt’s ability to poison, erode and decay using the process of patina and conversely the material’s ability to create, rejuvenate and give life – the literal and physical manifestation – crystallization.

Ami Doshi Shah

Ami Doshi Shah is a jeweller based in Nairobi. She was born in 1980. Shah is a trained Jeweller and Silversmith, having gained a BA (Hon) in Jewellery and Silversmithing from the Birmingham School of Art & Design in the UK in 2001. She was the recipient of the Goldsmiths’ Award for Best Design (Apprentice trainee) in 2001. Upon graduating, she completed jewellery apprenticeship programmes in Mumbai and Jaipur, India. In 2013, Ami established the eponymous design label, I am I, which marked her return to the design world after a 12-year hiatus, during which she worked with multinational advertising agencies in Nairobi and London.

Ami’s love for Kenya and its human and natural beauty is a constant source of inspiration for her creative endeavours. She sources local materials for her work and uses her technical training to work with the elements in unexpected ways, bringing her artistic sensibilities to her label, I am I.

Ami combines her technical training and curiosity about local materials to create inspiring sculptural pieces. Working mainly with semi-precious and by-product materials, Ami seeks to amplify the raw beauty of local materials, drawing on the natural beauty of Kenya for inspiration.

Salt of the Earth examines the concept of power and submission through the talismanic properties of jewellery and adornment, through an exploration of the complex historical, political and material properties of salt, which has had a profound impact on Kenya’s landscape and history.

In this striking installation, Ami Doshi Shah uses salt itself as the main medium, the collection being pointedly located in the West Wing of Somerset House, once home to the British Empire’s Salt Office. As salt oozes and bundles into the space, we are reminded of how power dynamics shift throughout time.

The International Fashion Showcase

The International Fashion Showcase (IFS) nurtures and presents work from the most exciting fashion talent from around the world. Working in partnership, British Council, British Fashion Council, London College of Fashion and Somerset House provide a tailored programme for 16 emerging international designers, including a business development programme lead by London College of Fashion and a creative residency within Somerset House Studios in London.

IFS will culminate with a free public exhibition during London Fashion Week, 11-24 February 2019 at Somerset House, showcasing the work developed by the designers in a compelling series of installations exploring urgent issues and new ideas that are shaping fashion globally.

IFS 2019 is a partnership between the British Council, British Fashion Council, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London and Somerset House.