AJF has an annual grant for exhibitions. Every year we get a number of applications and the jury is asked to find the applicant whose project resonates best with our mission to advocate for art jewelry and create opportunities to build knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the field. This year we are giving out $7500.
The 2012 jury consisted of Perry Price, curator from the Fuller Museum who received the grant in 2010, Toni Greenbaum, independent curator and author of Messengers of Modernism: American Studio Jewelry 1940-1960 and me.
After thoroughly reading through each application we rated them on a number of criteria and came up with a winner. This year's AJF Exhibition Grant goes to Shift: Contemporary Makers That Define, Expand and Contradict The Field of Art Jewelry, curated by Randy Long and Nicole Jacquard from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Perry Price says, 'The exhibition presents a compelling and exhaustive look at the important players and moments of the contemporary studio jewelry movement. The criteria for selecting the artists and the voice of the exhibition should not only reach those already familiar with the field, but introduce material to audiences unfamiliar with art jewelry to date.' And for Toni Greenbaum, this proposal 'provided the most compelling, evolved and exciting concept, along with the infrastructure to produce a winning show.'
I want to personally thank all those institutions which submitted proposals and wish them all the very best of luck. In October 2013, we will look forward to reviewing Shift and bringing you more in-depth coverage of this exciting project.
I also want to thank Elizabeth Goring and Helen Carnac for arranging a wonderful event in London during Collect last month, which included a guided tour of Wendy Ramshaw's exhibition Room of Dreams, followed by dinner at a London restaurant. Thanks goes to Louise Taylor as well for leading an inspired tour. We hope to arrange more activities abroad in the future.
By the way I'm just finishing Liesbeth den Besten's book On Jewellery, which I think is a must-read for all of you who want an excellent overview of this field. You can find this book, along with others that AJF has reviewed, in our Bookstore. Have fun. It is a treat.
Also, in case you haven't noticed, we have a number of interviews with very interesting artists, collectors, curators and gallerists spread throughout the AJF website. Some are on the blog, some are under Articles - Interviews and some are under Collecting - Collector Profiles. One that many people have enjoyed is Gabriel Craig's interview with Iris Eichenberg. Check it out.
Onward into the summer . . . or the winter if you are in the south!
Susan Cummins
Chair, AJF
