Jewellery objects exploring souvenir and memory

BACKGROUND The Netherlands has played a key role in the international development of jewellery design since the 1960s. This exhibition, at the Museum voor Moderne Kunst (Museum for Modern Art) Arnhem, brought together existing works, as well as pieces made especially for the exhibition, from 80 international designers. Curated by highly acclaimed jewellery expert Liesbeth den Besten, it looked at jewellery's relationship to art, fashion and other design fields, and specifically at artist pieces. Haydon's work was presented alongside that of these artists for the field of Contemporary Jewellery. Other artists included Natalya Pinchuk (USA), Lisa Walker (New Zealand), Pia Aleborg (Sweden), Mia Maljojoki (Finland/Munich), Mari Keto (Finland/Copenhagen), Suska Mackert (Germany/Hamburg), Christian Hoedl (Austria/Munich), Celio Braga (Brazil/Amsterdam), Frédéric Braham (France). A related symposium in February 2012, co-sponsored with ArtEZ Institute of the Arts, featured leading international experts discussing contemporary jewellery design. CONTRIBUTION In 2000, Haydon was selected for her first international curated student exhibition. Her inclusion more than a decade later of two works (a brooch and neckpiece) in this high profile exhibition in the Netherlands evidences her ongoing creative development and research that continues to push the boundaries of jewellery objects through her research into the souvenir and memory. SIGNIFICANCE Kirsten Haydon's work was included in related internationally distributed publication, On Jewellery, by Liesbeth den Besten and lead to her invitation to be included in the exhibition Jewellery Unleashed. An overview of international jewellery innovation, this exhibition was the first time since Facet at the Kunsthal Rotterdam (1993) that work by leading international jewellery designers has been displayed in the Netherlands on this scale.