The Swiss Otto Künzli (born in 1948) revolutionised modern jewellery design and is regarded as ‘one of the most intelligent and at the same time most critical artists in the world of jewelry’ (Ralph Turner: The New Jewelry, 1985/1994). Over the course of his involvement with jewellery, spanning around 45 years, Otto Künzli achieved a unique status as an artist and pioneer, and also as an author and teacher, with widespread international influence. Renowned artists such as Karen Pontoppidan (Konstfack, Stockholm), Karl Fritsch (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology), David Bielander and Lisa Walker are amongst the graduates of the jewellery class at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, which Künzli has been directing since 1991 as successor to Hermann Jünger. This publication presents his complete multifaceted oeuvre to a wide readership for the first time. The monograph comprises not only his jewellery, but also multidisciplinary conceptual works in the fields of photography and installations. It is at the same time a review of a current definition of and a future perspective on his work. The striking and unusual graphic design was created by Frederik Linke, as was the previous successful title "The Fat Booty of Madness." Otto Künzli’s works are based on complex reflections and the visual power of the imagination. This has resulted in works characterised by minimalistic clarity and impressive technical perfection, full of wit and sensual intensity. With contributions by Jacqueline Burckhardt | Walter Grasskamp | Florian Hufnagl | Ellen Maurer Zilioli | Pravu Mazumdar | Chantal Prod’Hom and Carole Guinard | Akio Seki | Otto Künzli. -- Publisher's description.

A reflective book about international contemporary art jewellery that aims to open up new points of view about what art jewellery is or can be.

What is craft? How is it different from fine art or design? In A Theory of Craft, Howard Risatti examines these issues by comparing handmade ceramics, glass, metalwork, weaving, and furniture to painting, sculpture, photography, and machine-made design from Bauhaus to the Memphis Group. He describes craft's unique qualities as functionality combined with an ability to express human values that transcend temporal, spatial, and social boundaries. Modern design today has taken over from craft the making of functional objects of daily use by employing machines to do work once done by hand. Understanding the aesthetic and social implications of this transformation forces us to see craft as well as design and fine art in a new perspective, Risatti argues. Without a way of understanding and valuing craft on its own terms, the field languishes aesthetically, being judged by fine art criteria that automatically deny art status to craft objects. Craft must articulate a role for itself in contemporary society, says Risatti; otherwise it will be absorbed by fine art or design and its singular approach to understanding the world will be lost. A Theory of Craft is a signal contribution to establishing a craft theory that recognizes, defines, and celebrates the unique blend of function and human aesthetic values embodied in the craft object.

The jewellery of Ishikawa is mysterious and transports us to another world. She uses plants are as symbols of the constant renewal of life and transforms them from the ephemeral into the permanent. Mari Ishikawa uses silver casts from nature as a basis for her jewellery. With this technique she is able to emulate the textures of lichens, leaves and flowers and combined with other materials, which have their own history, she creates a new and completely different world-the parallel world. When viewing her moonlight or black and white photographs of nature, one can see a poetic connection with her jewellery. There images stir up stories and memories, requiring us to take pause and consider our natural environment.

This book offers an essential reference for anyone interested in contemporary European jewellery design. Through guided conversations with the major designers of today, Roberta Bernabei reveals the creative, conceptual and technical working practices that underpin the aesthetic of each practitioner's work. In addition, the dialogues shed new light on these jewellers' inspiration and their ideas about functionality and the human body. Each interview is supported by photographs, a detailed bibliography and an appendix that locates the jewellers' work in galleries, museums as well as online. Major jewellery artists present include: Giampaolo Babetto, Gijs Bakker, Otto Künzli, Ruudt Peters, Mario Pinton and Tone Vigeland, alongside members of the emergent generation: Ted Noten, Annamaria Zanella and Christoph Zellweger. This book, which opens the door to contemporary jewellery practice, will be welcomed by all students, lecturers and practitioners.

A survey of contemporary artist-made jewellery, illustrated by over 200 pieces from the Museum of Arts & Design's collection.

In The Persistence of Craft, contributors discuss the development of not only six specific crafts--glass, ceramics, jewelry, wood, textiles, and metal--but also the trends and movements that have helped shape their developments. Includes 180 full-color illustrations.