The most exciting event for this time of the year for jewellery fanatics – JOYA Barcelona is finally on!
It kick-started on the 22nd of September and will be inviting all of you to the magical world of contemporary jewellery until 24th of October. This year they will be welcoming you in two venues – definitely the more the better! – Disseny Hub Barcelona for individuals and winners of awards and Artesania Catalunya for galleries, collectives and students.
🎉It’s “FIESTA” time!🍾
Unfortunately, as everybody knows we are still on the road to recovery from the pandemic and in search of “new normality” amid uncertainty. The same for all the events including JOYA. It’s too bad that we cannot meet the artists and feel the pieces, which I used to enjoy in the former events of JOYA. (I can’t stop wishing for its comeback next year!!!)
BUT! Despite of whatever the circumstances, we still need a place to celebrate contemporary jewellery and achievement of the artists by showcasing our work to the world! It’s a party (which this country is famous for) and the show must go on, we cannot be just passively waiting for the mess to pass! (Needless to say, do not forget to follow the health safety measurements.) Assuredly you will find your favourite pieces or artists that add cheering vibrant energy to your life during this grey time☁🌫
JOYA is an open-door event where everybody is encouraged to fall down the tempting rabbit hole of contemporary jewellery. Just be mindful, it’s quite deep….!⚠🐇
🌟ALCHEMY and JOYA, where the magic happens
This year for JOYA artists and their work have been gathered under the theme of ALCHEMY.
What can you think of? Philosopher’s stone? Elixir of immortality? Magical gold making method?
Personally, alchemy extends a little bit wider and has such a magnitude in all direction. It was practiced in the pre-scientific time, where we humans widely believed in spiritualism, soul and all the other mysterious matters. The goal of the alchemists was to reach the perfection through scientific, physical, philosophical, spiritual even esoteric approaches. It was an attempt to bring the order to the chaos, comprehend the universe as a whole, also creating something for the advancement of the humanity.
In JOYA this year, I see the artists’ endeavour to seek the harmony and balance for the current confused society through their quirky point of view by incorporating their own inner world. Some try to gather and compose, some bring new creatures to this world, some apply geometry to their work, some investigate the inner side of us, some cut out a scenery from daily life… - we are all trying to navigate each confusion to its own place to make sense of the world and move forward. For me it seems like an experiment to pave our future path towards the perfection with their creativity, technique and magic, which I believe this is a part of artists’ (including myself) role in the society.
Transformation towards the future of jewellery🤔
Transformation is a keyword for the exhibition. Artists transform the non-precious materials into a precious piece of art, and they transform their non-physical ideas to the physical form.
Apart from pandemic, our society is in a whirlpool of rapid transformation. Due to the emergence of NFT (non-fungible tokens) digital art market is marking an exponential growth. NFT accelerated our detachment from physical substance and enabled to give more value to idea itself by receiving the benefit from the advancement of digital technology, which material possession doesn’t mean anything anymore.
- This wave is going to take over the contemporary jewellery field?
In terms of jewellery itself, it's such an intimate and personal object that we want to feel and possess it physically. (Of course, an unwearable piece of contemporary jewellery makes sense as a concept.) Jewellery is strongly tangible because they need an interaction with the body. I think jewellery will keep being physical because they can transmit indescribable amount of power directly to our body when you can feel them. (BUT getting yourself digitally armed is a big MUST-DO. Do not forget to prepare and develop your digital contents!)
How about events and exhibitions?
Nowadays many exhibitions and fairs are held online and we are able to enjoy art in a digital world. I was agitated to think by being physically at the venues of JOYA and looking at the pieces - how will the advancement of technology change the shape of exhibitions?
You must have an "it's-different-from-what-I-imagined" experience when you see something on screen or in real life. I assume that they will keep developing the way they showcase artwork both physically and digitally minimising this gap between our digital perception and actual object.
Also Internet has brought us a uniform culture and society - there is no borders for information. It will be crucial to differentiate an event to another by their unique selection of work, which in JOYA you can find the raw, warm human energy celebrating our life with a whimsical twist from the artists.
🔴Don’t forget to watch these gorgeous videos JOYA behind the scenes by Wolf Kublun featuring jewellery pieces from the exhibition.
Soothing, mystical and ethereal….perfection!
🔴Galleries
Artesania Catalunya
Galleries, collectives and students
Also, an exhibition “Interiores” by Chilean artists organized by Jorge Castañón
Instagram @joyabravachile
Disseny Hub Barcelona
Individuals and winners of awards
🌕Over the moon to be in my dream🌌
I am participating in JOYA as a representative from Escola Massana. You can find a part of “The World Within” collection is on display at Artesania Catalunya. This project was inspired by one night’s dream I had during my pregnancy, which I encountered a strange animal – it was a ram with elongated thin legs and transparent glass-looking body where a green forest grew. You can find many odd-looking animals from surreal world in search of the future of humanity.
For more stories please visit my page HERE
When I received the notice that I can be in the event I was about to have a heart attack by euphoria because that was one of the goals that I have been putting all my effort to achieve in the last 5 years. I still remember about 9 years ago even before I got to introduce to contemporary jewellery, I read an article about JOYA in Japan and interestingly my attention was dragged into it and stuck in my head. I never imagined myself being a part of the event. Please allow me to express my gratitude for all the people who have been supporting me and the people who made this event possible with their countless efforts. THANK YOU!!!!
Info.
JOYA
Instagram @joyabarcelona
Free entry
Artesania Catalunya
Carrer dels Banys nous, 11, 08002 Barcelona
Instagram @artesaniacat
Disseny Hub Barcelona (Barcelona design museum)
Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 38, 08018 Barcelona
They have other jewellery exhibition Enjoia’t (until 23 October) and JOIERES 1965-1990 Between art and design (until 28 November), likewise JOYA, BOTH FREE ENTRY.