photograph by Rebekah Robinson
Latest comments Ajay- 3 August 2009
Gillian's metal brooch was:
kinda sharp
possibly masculine, definitely architectural
quite heavy, so clothes had to be chosen carefully
suited being worn centrally
reminded me of volcanoes and the auckland landscape
seems valuable
is my second favourite, aesthetically
I like it as an object.
Gillian's metal brooch was:
kinda sharp
possibly masculine, definitely architectural
quite heavy, so clothes had to be chosen carefully
suited being worn centrally
reminded me of volcanoes and the auckland landscape
seems valuable
is my second favourite, aesthetically
I like it as an object.
Hi, I've had a lot of fun wearing Gillian's broach so far. Lot's of positive feedback. Also been some amusing comments along the way... "Oh I think you've got something stuck to your... oh is that a broach?" Next was "choice, it's like you're a terminator and been shot". Both guys from work.
ReplyDeleteI wore it out to dinner last night where the lighting made it look both gold and silver and people were trying to work out what it could be made from. They've also sworn there's a face in there somewhere.
What I like most about it myself is the different layers... from a distance it's a simple elegant shape, get closer and it's got interesting detail and more of an unusual form, closer still and you can see the actual process of making, the cuts and scrapes and dents and what might have been used in the process... a hole punch, a chain... I love it!
thanks Gillian, and thanks Kristen!!
kyla
Sorry I have been so tardy in commenting on wearing Gilliian's broach over the last month. I have to admit that I wore it only once. I enjoyed reading what Gillian had written about her engagement with making jewellery, that it is about recording the process in the piece. As a piece though, to have attached to the space just above my breast, it felt kind of sharp and uneasy. (Iris commented that she thought it would poke her). I thought tonight that perhaps I should have hung it in the wall as it reminds me, in scale and proportion of the small icons that come from Mexico, but that instead of a heart in the middle it has a kind of rupture. I do think it is a really interesting piece, one that made me consider the space on my chest where a broach sits, and the contact or interface this space has with "the world".
ReplyDeleteI am really glad that this brooch challenged you and definitely like where you are going with that commentary, Kathy. I think that wearing adds a really fascinating dynamic to how we approach a piece. Everyone is so different in their reactions and to me that so fascinating. I thought it was really interesting that you mentioned you liked looking at it. Unlike rings or bracelets, brooches are not things that the wearer gets to see while wearing, they are very outward and projecting. Thanks for the insightful comments. Kristin
ReplyDeleteAre we allowed to have pet brooches? If so, I'd have to say this has been one of my favourites so far. Possibly because it is made out of silver and therefore appeases my conservative approach of interpreting what contemporary jewllery might be. That also might be because I'm fairly low on the continuium of understanding this jewellery business. 'The exit wound' as it is affectionately known around our whare is much admired by the 13 yearold boy who inspected the construction, noting the silver had been 'bashed' over a chain, a bit was added that had been 'attacked' by a holepunch and then the whole thing had been 'scratched up' Quite an accurate description and rather warlike.
ReplyDeleteI found wearing it on flimsy summer clothes did not work, not because of the weight but because of the shape - there just isn't enough clothing around the top of the torso in summer when one is 5'1''. No worries, I pinned it on jackets - that I didn't wear because it has been scorching hot on the East Coast. No worries, pinned it to the front of a skirt and wore it like a pretending belt buckle. As the brooch wasn't getting the wearing it deserved I pinned it onto the dining room wall for a while.
It reminded me too of tin religious icons from Mexico in shape and size, not imagery. It also has made me consider just where abouts upon the body does a particular brooch look best and certain body types look better in particular brooches. This brooch either needs a bigger body to latch onto or maybe it is an Autumn/Winter brooch. Either way for me, size really does matter. I'll be sad to pass this one on as I just like getting it out of the box and looking at it.
From Mandie:
ReplyDeleteWell I didn’t get to wear this brooch that often as I thought I’d lost it,having said that I found it after the meeting.
Most mortified as I never lose a thing,anyway the one time I did manage to wear it,I found it a little uncomfortable
because of the material its made from as Finn mentioned some are definitely winter brooches to heavy for what I
wear in a kitchen in November. This brooch would be perfect for my big tweed coat.
Thanks Gillian.
This month’s brooch was tricky.
ReplyDeleteI will start with the most contentious part: the finding. It is probably the diameter of my largest upholstery needle. So, I was very reluctant to push it through one of my shirts.
If I received this brooch in winter, maybe I would have pushed it through a heavier jacket? Even then i mightn’t risk it.
The brooch is a large square piece of silver with ‘manual engraving and accidental marks’ meaning that it looks like something that you would find on your studio floor.
There are sharp edges, and protrusions that would probably tear the garment that it is supposed to be adorning?
Maybe this is the concept of the piece? Bottom line is that I wouldn’t buy this brooch if it was offered to me.
- Finn
In response to reading Finn's post, I was so excited to wear this brooch, harness it on and get out there into the physical world that I never took a second thought about the material - sorry fabric, but I just got carried away by the temptation to shock.
ReplyDeleteAfter carrying around a delicate heart recently, I found in this brooch quite a beacon of security, strength and support which carried me through some days.
This brooch is unashamedly raw, with an honest face and no illusions.
I've always had positive remarks about the brooches so far, but today a work colleague said to me as he stared above my chest "oh I don't know if I like that". Strangely it felt good that he didn't like it and was open about his feelings. In this phase of world breakdown where illusionary or material connections are being increasingly questioned, true values such as honesty, respect and compassion are a refreshing change from some in the male kingdom (gotta love em).
And yes I would wear it all over again - anytime! Word up G.
i had the most varied comments about this brooch - the first comment was my favourite "that looks dangerous", also comments that it was very "fashion-forward", "pretty" but most were really interested in how it was made, so i did read out the blurb that came in the box to a few people because it sounded better than anything i could have made up about it.
ReplyDeletei also felt it was a bolder brooch and very edgy, full of attitude. I am also shorter in stature like the comment previously i felt it was quite large on me; when a caught a glance of myself in a window the brooch was all i could see!
overall i totally loved this brooch for being sharp and BIG and "dangerous"!
sorry that last post was from me, not craig,oops!
ReplyDeleteCare of Sarah Munro -
ReplyDeleteMy favourite comment about this broach came from a pottery class mate who started out saying "you look like you've been shot"...
And then continued with "...but shot from the inside outward..". that made me enjoy the broach even more, i really kind of enjoyed the idea of that and started to picture it as some kind of bond type gun device with bullets that descretly go out from my button hole or collar, something more than the average broach :)
I initially found the square edges of this silver broach a bit harsh and unaccomodating as something to wear, but when it came to actually wearing the broach I was able to get lots of use out of it and didn't actually have any problem with these edges ripping clothing or being uncomfortable.
- Sarah
Ajay Says:
ReplyDeleteGillian's metal brooch was:
kinda sharp
possibly masculine, definitely architectural
quite heavy, so clothes had to be chosen carefully
suited being worn centrally
reminded me of volcanoes and the auckland landscape
seems valuable
is my second favourite, aesthetically
I like it as an object.