cover me: animal defences, armour and the amulet

128 Pages·2009·1.84 MB·English

Cover Me: Animal Defences, Armour and the Amulet

by

KAMILA SHEPHERD
M.F.A. The School of Design Studies, The College of Fine Arts, The University of
New South Wales, 2009
A document submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in the School of Design Studies
The College of Fine Arts
The University of New South Wales
Sydney, Australia

March 2009
ABSTRACT

Cover Me: Animal Defences, Armour and the Amulet is a research project undertaken
through studio investigations in the field of contemporary jewellery and object design.
This interrogation is presented as a body of wearable and non-wearable objects
exhibited at Kudos Gallery, Sydney Australia, in May 2009 and contextualised
through a written document.

Historically jewellery’s functions have been to denote rank, to adorn and to protect the
wearer by magical means. The research investigates traditional approaches to magical
jewellery- surveying the design of charms, amulets and talismans and the perceived
methods of their functioning- and observes their parallels and similarities with
defensive structures and behaviours such as the phenomenon of mimicry in the animal
kingdom.

The document presents a survey of the work of contemporary jewellery artists whose
visual language is informed by natural forms and bears a remarkable numinous
presence, employing this analysis to comment on humanity’s relationship with and
separation from nature. The works in Cover Me are developed from and framed by
similar speculations and the findings anchored to the body.

Through primary studio research that involves staged visual investigations of a variety
of animal defences a series of drawn and material experiments have been undertaken.
The findings generated in the studio have utilised the amplification and exaggeration
of recurring elements. The repetitive attributes are employed to harness our instinctive
reactions to animal defences and serve as the foundation for the design of a widely
accessible visual vocabulary of protection. The resultant summary is articulated in
metal and fibre and manifest in the series of jewellery objects.

In offering itself up as an example of work where protective language symbolism can
be understood as such by people from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds
and as an alternative for traditional protective symbols. Cover Me attempts to mitigate
the damage inflicted upon the magical jewel’s perceived metaphysical protection by
misappropriation where traditional amuletic devices and protective religious symbols
(the Christian cross/ crucifix being a key example) are misappropriated in commercial
fashion jewellery.

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This is dedicated to my family.

You are why I keep trying.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you, to my supervisor Wendy Parker for all your unwavering support over the
course of my time at COFA. Thank you for all your encouragement, inspiration,
patience, feedback and your overwhelming generosity. Without your help I would not
have come this far.

Thank you, to all the wonderful resource support staff at the sculpture tool room-
James Ward, Jim Brown and Francois Breuillaud-Limondin for your humour and
assistance all these years. Words cannot express the extent of my gratitude.

Thank you, to Leong Chan, Liz Williamson, Joanna Elliot and the Student Centre
staff, the Computing Services team, Penelope Benton, Marcel Cooper and the Kudos
Gallery team, the COFA Library staff, and Laura Kampel for not losing your mind
answering my deluge of obsessive questions.

Thank you, to every other member of the UNSW College of Fine Arts who has made
my experience here a delightful and memorable one.

Thank you, Susanna Strati, Merilyn Bailey and Zoë Veness. You are amazing artists
and teachers, and truly an inspiration.

Thank you, Olenka Fombertaux, Maggie Thorssell, Kate McCoy, Brenda Factor,
Yoshiko Ito, Tamara Haentjes and Sarah Spackman, for your friendship, and for
making the jewellery studio a warm and inspiring place to be.

Thank you, Mitchell Cross, for helping me stay true to myself.

Thank you, to my family- and especially my mother Halina Shepherd- for everything.

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CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
LIST OF FIGURES vii-xiii
GLOSSARY OF TERMS xiv-xviii

CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Research Pg. 2
1.2 Aims of the Research Project Pg. 3
1.3 Overview of Document Contents Pg. 4
1.4 Overview of the Functions of Jewellery Pg. 6
1.5 The Magical Jewel: Definitions and Devices Pg. 6

CHAPTER 2 – CONTEMPORARY PROTECTION: THE TALISMANIC
JEWEL IN CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE

2.1 Contextualising the Research within Contemporary Practice Pg. 11
2.2 Enid Kaplan Pg. 12
2.3 Rachelle Thiewes Pg. 14
2.4 Bronwyn Goss Pg. 21
2.5 Tone Vigeland Pg. 25
2.6 Rowena Gough Pg. 28
2.7 Gitte Bjørn Pg. 34
2.8 Appropriation: Commercial vs Cultural Capital Pg. 37

CHAPTER 3 – DEFENCE IN NATURE, PROTECTION IN ADORNMENT

3.1 Overview of Defences in the Animal Kingdom, and Parallels with Pg. 42
Amuletic Ornament
3.2 Reflections of Latent Instincts, and the Development of a New Kind of Pg. 47
Protective Symbolism
3.3 Psychological Armouring: the Connection Between Wearing Objects Pg. 48
and Psychological Reinforcement

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CHAPTER 4- METHODOLOGY AND STUDIO OUTPUT: OBSERVING,
DRAWING, MATERIAL EXPERIMENTATION AND MAKING

4.1 Observation Pg. 50
4.2 Sketching: Scaling and Synthesis Through Drawing Pg. 51
4.3 Material Experimentation Pg. 51
4.4 Protective Permutations: Reflections on Visual Language in the Studio Pg. 53
Research

CONCLUSION Pg. 70

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 Images and Descriptions of the Pieces in Progress Pg. 73
Appendix 2 Material Investigation- Selected Images Pg. 82
Appendix 3 Images of Works as Installed in Exhibition at Kudos Pg. 86
Gallery

REFERENCES Pg. 104

BIBLIOGRAPHY Pg. 108

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LIST OF FIGURES

CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCTION

Figure 1 Fig. 1 Kasena village chief Atoge Zangwio in Batakari shirt and Pg. 7
hat covered with leather amulet boxes containing verses from the
Koran
Image Source: Fisher, Angela, Africa Adorned
Photograph: Angela Fisher

Figure 2 Fig. 2 Shisha Pg. 8
Photograph: K. Shepherd

Figure 3 Fig. 3 Fali Woman with amuletic ear piercing to prevent evil Pg. 9
spirits entering the ear
Image source: Africa Adorned
Photograph: Angela Fisher

CHAPTER 2- CONTEMPORARY PROTECTION: THE TALISMANIC
JEWEL IN CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE

Figure 4 Fig. 4 Enid Kaplan Fertility Amulet Necklace Pg. 13
14k, sterling, copper, shell, carnelian 5" x 1" x .5"
Image Source: www.enidkaplan.com/images/cata03.jpg (accessed 24th
March 2009)

Figure 5 Fig. 5 Bhuj, Kachchh, Gujarat Pg. 16
Silver necklace with Amulet Boxes and Sonorous elements (bells)
Image Source: Untracht, Oppi, Traditional Jewellery of India
Photograph: Courtesy Julie Margolis, Origins, Santa Fe

Figure 6 Fig. 6 Rachelle Thiewes Bracelet, 1988 Pg. 17
Silver, 18Kt gold, slate. 3 (cid:2) x 14 x 12”
Private Collection. Photograph: Rachelle Thiewes
Image Source: Grant Lewin, Susan, American Art Jewelry Today
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Figure 7 Fig. 7 Rachelle Thiewes Uptown Dance Series Brooch, 1986 Pg. 18
Silver, 18Kt gold. 8 x 1 (cid:3) x (cid:4)”.
Private collection. Photograph: Russell Banks.
Image Source: Grant Lewin, Susan, American Art Jewelry Today

Figure 8 Fig. 8 Ceremonial Ensemble Pg. 19
Cotton, leather, porcupine quills, 97.8 cm long
Grassfield region, Cameroon, late twentieth century.
Photograph courtesy of The Newark Museum
Image Source: Power Dressing: Men’s Fashion and Prestige in
Africa, Ornament Vol.30, No.2 , 2006, Ornament Incorporated Los
Angeles, CA ., p. 65

Figure 9 Fig. 9 Rachelle Thiewes Silent Dance Brooch, 1990 Pg. 20
Silver, 18Kt gold
Private Collection. Photograph: Rachelle Thiewes
Image Source: Grant Lewin, Susan, American Art Jewelry Today

Figure 10 Fig. 10 Bronwyn Goss Brooches, 1985 Pg. 22
Copper, silver, gilding metal, shibuichi, 18Kt gold. 50mm (largest)
Collection of the artist. Photograph: Peter Edwards
Image Source: Anderson, Patricia, Contemporary Jewellery: The
Australian Experience 1977-1987

Figure 11 Fig. 11 Bronwyn Goss Creation Song, 1991, Dimensions variable Pg. 23
Four elements: a. long pouch- gilding metal- 900mm x 120mm x
50mm
b. large hollow form- brass, 18ct gold plate- 200mm x 120mm x
50mm
c. medium hollow form- 925 silver
d. small hollow form- gilding metal
Elements c and d can be removed from the pouch and worn on a
neckwire.
Image Source: Patricia Anderson, Contemporary Jewellery in
Australia and New Zealand
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Figure 12 Fig. 12 Bronwyn Goss Belt Pouch, 1988 Pg. 24
Brass, gilding metal, 24 carat fire-gilding with patina
Collection of the Powerhouse Museum.
Photograph: K. Shepherd

Figure 13 Fig. 13 Tone Vigeland Necklace, 1989 Pg. 26
Silver, 25x 18cm.
Private collection. Photo Hans Jørgen Abel
Image Source: Malm Brundtland, Cecilie, Tone Vigeland: Jewellery
and Sculpture- Movements in Silver

Figure 14 Fig. 14 Rowena Gough Armatures, 1986 Pg. 30
Japanese kozo paper, watercolour, graphite, 300mm
Collection of the Artist Photograph: Ian Tudor
Image Source: Anderson, Patricia, Contemporary Jewellery: The
Australian Experience 1977-1987

Figure 15 Fig. 15 Rowena Gough Reptilia, 1986 Pg. 33
Bodypiece- Japanese kozo paper, watercolour, graphite, 3850mmm.
Collection of the Artist Photograph: Ian Tudor
Image Source: Patricia Anderson, Contemporary Jewellery: The
Australian Experience 1977-1987

Figure 16 Fig. 16 Rowena Gough Bandoliers, 1992 Pg. 34
Mild steel, mother-of-pearl buttons, 9Kt pink gold. Approx. 500mm
Image Source: Anderson, Patricia, Contemporary Jewellery in
Australia and New Zealand

Figure 17 Fig. 17 Gitte Bjørn Volcano headpiece, 1999 Pg. 35
Image Source: Funder, L., Dansk Smykkekunst: 1960-2000 (The Art
of Danish Jewelry: 1960-2000), København: Nyt Nordisk Forlag
Arnold Busck, 2001
Photograph: Wermund Bendtsen

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Figure 18 Fig. 18 Gitte Bjørn Savings, 2000 Pg. 36
Image Source: Funder, L., Dansk Smykkekunst: 1960-2000 (The Art
of Danish Jewelry: 1960-2000), København: Nyt Nordisk Forlag
Arnold Busck, 2001
Photograph: Christian Lotzbeck

Figure 19 Fig. 19 Culture Frock, Fashion Spread, Sunday Magazine, Pg. 38
July 2008 Photograph: Jordan Graham
The caption at the beginning of the article reads: “Look for
inspiration beyond Australian shores with artisan tribal dress. From
Asian silks to intricate Indian saris, layer bold colours and graphic
prints for a couture culture clash.”

Figure 20 Fig. 20 Backstage at Givenchy Pg. 39
Image Source: Vogue August 2008, p.122

Figure 21 Fig. 21 Backstage at Easton Pearson Pg. 40
Image Source: Madison magazine, July 2008

CHAPTER 3- DEFENCE IN NATURE, PROTECTION IN ADORNMENT

Figure 22 Fig. 22 Puffer fish Pg. 43
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFi
les/animals/images/primary/puffer-fish-puffed.jpg accessed 24th
March 2009

Figure 23 Fig. 23 Hawkmoth caterpillar Pg. 44
http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?tid=3&did=20703
accessed 24th March 2009

Figure 24 Fig. 24 Moth with Ocelli resembling that of an owl Pg. 44
Collection of the Australian Museum
Photograph: K. Shepherd

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