Swords into Ploughshares: Knives into Jewels is a touring exhibition co-curated by Norman Cherry and Dauvit Alexander, opening at MAKESouthwest on the 1st of April. The exhibition examines the nationwide problem of knife crime.
34 International jewellery and metals artists were invited to respond to the issue by repurposing knives, most of which had been supplied by West Midlands Police from their knife-surrender bins.
Each artist has taken a personal approach resulting in a powerful exhibition of works which range from pessimistic to playful, practical, and even fanciful.
The curators developed the idea of Knives into Jewels to create positive outcomes through an artistic engagement with a negative subject, focusing on social change and community. The exhibiting artists have been select-ed for their excellence of practice and ability to comment on and react to social and personal situations through their work.
This exhibition challenges and educates the public about the subject of knives.
Jewellery and Object as a subject is an ideal vehicle to engage with the many issues around knife crime in the UK. This is not conventional “jewellery as product” as seen on the High Street, but “jewellery as art object.” Jewellery of this sort can take many forms but, in principle, may be de-scribed as small, portable, personal works of art or objects which have the capacity to be worn and/or displayed in small spaces, and which often tell a story or make a political or social point. Political and social significance is a major feature of the exhibition.
Every venue hosting the touring exhibition is asked to engage flexibly with its own local communities appropriate to their local circumstances. Round Midnight and StreetDoctors are available to work nationally while Cherry and Alexander, who are nationally and internationally well-networked, will make local connections with interested regional jewellers and artists who wish to support the project. MAKESouthwest has been working with HMP Dartmoor and some of the work created in this project will form a part of the exhibition.
Visiting
The exhibition is free to visit at MAKESouthwest, Tuesday – Friday from 10am till 9pm.
More Information:
🌐 https://makesouthwest.org.uk/all-exhibitions/swords-into-ploughshares-knives-into-jewels
Artists
Dauvit Alexander UK
Boris Bally USA
Petra Bishai UK
Stephen Bottomley UK
Tim Carson UK
Norman Cherry UK
Jens Clausen Germany/ Estonia
Rachael Coley UK
Eimear Conyard Republic of Ireland
Bob Coogan USA
Rosie Deegan UK
Jeff Durber UK
Cristina Filipe Portugal
Daniel Freyne UK
Anna Gordon UK
Herman Hermsen Germany
Jorge Manilla Norway/Mexico
Patrick McMillan USA
Nanna Melland Norway
Eliana Negroni Italy
Rohan Nicol Australia
Ted Noten Netherlands
Coilin O’Dubhail Republic of Ireland
Komelia Okim Korea/USA
Peter Parkinson UK
Annelisse Pfeifer UK
Jo Pond UK
Liz Shaw Australia
Rebecca Skeels UK
Risto Tali Estonia
Fred Truus Estonia
Taavi Teevet Estonia
Exhibition – 1st April -13th May 2023
MAKESouthwest is at Riverside Mill, Bovey Tracey, Devon TQ13 9AF
