A Ring Is A Ring Is A Ring

The exhibition titled "A Ring Is A Ring Is A Ring" is the result of a yearlong project between 3 European jewellery schools. Students from the hosting institution, the British Academy of Jewellery based in London; the Department of Gemstone and Jewellery of the Hochschule Trier located in Idar Oberstein, Germany and Alchimia School of Contemporary Jewellery based in Florence, Italy, will be displaying their work during the London Design Festival.

As a focal point, the students took inspiration from the ancient and historic gimmel ring. Chosen for its unique composition, each of the three rings contribute one component to the ring’s final visual appearance.  When worn, it symbolises how our project aims to bring three very different schools and its respective students together.

The students travelled to Germany and Italy and participated in thought provoking workshops which introduced them to collaborative and creative development processes and challenged students to discover their own identities as makers. With input from Ulrich Reithofer at the start of their journey into the world of rings and hand adornments, they all individually responded to the brief with a ring or series of rings.

In the run-up to the event BAJ will be posting images of the photographer Tillmann Zizka, showing close-up images of hands. After their launch on the 16 of September they will unveil the photographs of the pieces, held by the hands of their makers. The catalogue, a selection of the photographs, provides an insight in the project and will be available to buy during the event.

Sofie Boons, Head of Academy at BAJ said:

“The aim of the project was to enable students to critically engage with their discipline whilst reflecting upon the diverse industry they are embarking onto. The show will provide the audience and visitors with an exciting insight of what it is to study jewellery today.”