Shaping matter, Enhancing beauty
Shaping Matter, Enhancing Beauty explores the essential role of artisanal craftsmanship in the creation of jewellery and works of art. It highlights the encounter between the artisan’s hand and mineral or organic materials through techniques such as cutting, polishing, engraving and carving. Each gesture, combining skill, tradition, experience and intuition, contributes to the birth of the work.
Designed by Mathieu Dekeukelaire with the support of the Baur Foundation and the Museum of Art and History of Geneva (MAH), the exhibition brings together more than one hundred pieces from public and private collections. Curators Pauline d’Abrigeon and Estelle Fallet collaborated to create a rich and varied journey through the exhibition.
The exhibition features objects ranging from cameos to nephrite vases from the Qing dynasty, as well as intaglios and Art Deco vanity cases. It showcases the diversity of materials used in craftsmanship throughout the centuries, including jade, onyx, agate, coral and amber. Some of the organic materials on display are now subject to strict regulations due to their connection with protected species.
Finally, a lecture hosted by Pauline d’Abrigeon will give visitors the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the works on display and the craftsmanship behind them.