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JAMIE BENNETT BIO:
Jamie Bennett is a Professor of Art in the Metal Program at the State University at New Paltz. Prior to that he was a faculty member of the Program in Artisanry at Boston University. He received his BBA from the University of Georgia and his MFA from SUNY at New Paltz. Professor Bennett is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including three National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowships, three New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowships and a Massachusetts Council for the Arts Fellowship. He received a Windgate Foundation Grant and Rotassa Grant in 2005 in recognition of his work. He was an Artist in Residence at Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry in Tokyo in 2000 and at Istanbul Technical University in 2005.
JUROR'S STATEMENT:
The Midwest Metalsmith's submissions for Metal Inclinations, offered up some exceptional works in a broad range of jewelry works. Pieces varied from fairly traditional or eclectic to gambits on the edge of our field. One thing is clear and that is there is no longer a need for the word "alternative" when describing materials in jewelry. There seems to be no such thing, when one is as likely to see ribbon and rope as silver or solder. There was also some evidence of the deskilling of jewelry works, which seems to be on the table right now, and like anything else some were very successful ventures and others fell very short. In the end however, I could ascertain no dominant style or movement. To the contrary there was everything from narrative jewelry and very esoteric objects for the body to conceptual and formal works.
When I was completing the jurying what stayed with me, was the sheer amount of work submitted, and how varied it was. It was clear that some of the work came from an academic setting and others were more pragmatic and conscious of being in the marketplace, a valid concern that is perhaps addressed too infrequently in the class room. I tried to select work that represented the best in differing formats and objectives. It is always impressive when someone is clear about what they are
working on and aspires to do the best in that context. I did find work that gave me that satisfaction among the submissions, and I am grateful.
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KLAUS BURGEL BIO:
Klaus Bürgel received his training at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Munich and at the Goldschmiedeschule Pforzheim. He has had one person exhibitions at Oliver Art Center California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA; Bernard Toale Gallery Boston, MA; Goethe Institut, Boston, MA; and Jewelerswerk Gallery, Washington D.C. Most recent group shows include: Des Wahnsinns fette Beute, Neue Sammlung Munich; Adornment, Goucher College, Baltimore; Micromegas, American Craft Museum, NY; Historical Connnections, Mobilia Gallery, Art of Gold, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA. ICE, Sienna/Heller Gallery, New York. Prior teaching includes: NYU, New York, NY, the Maine College of Art, Portland, ME; Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI; UMass, Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA; California College of Arts, Oakland, CA; School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; and Parsons school of Design, NY. He lives and works in New York City.
JUROR'S STATEMENT:
The submitted work has been deeply rooted in craftsmanship and the technical standard has been very high. Nature inspired, abstract constructivist constructions and post minimalist influences have been most prevalent next to Pop Art, Art Nouveau, and some others that never seem to go out of fashion like the classical styles of the Byzantine, Greco/Roman and Egyptians. What I was missing though was the non-conformist freedom of idea's as it has been unleashed in the early 1970. Even the "new " work seemed to be an appropriation, restaged, rearranged carcass without promise of intimacy. More often then not, the work seemed forced and overworked, as if achieving an emotional resonance seemed to be a matter of technical acrobatics and not of formal decisions. While I was looking at submission addressing every possible injustice that plagued the planet I was missing the
small honest idea, and original thinking.
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JOHN COGSWELL BIO:
John Cogswell is a jeweler, silversmith, educator and author/illustrator, currently teaching at SUNY New Paltz, NY. He has conducted numerous workshops, is a member of the National Metalsmiths' Hall of Fame. He is author and illustrator of Creative Stonesetting, and is contributing author for several contemporary jewelry texts including Metals Technic, Contemporary Silver and The Penland Book of Jewelry. His work has appeared in numerous exhibitions and publications, and is included in many public and private collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK, the Jewish Museum, NYC and the Ackland Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC.
JUROR'S STATEMENT:
As one of the jurors for 'METAL Inclinations 2', I was extremely gratified by the quality, originality and diversity of the work submitted. Because the sheer number of submissions far exceeded the number of images that could appear in the exhibition, hard choices were in order – no easy task, indeed! I went through the entire selection of entries multiple times, looking for those entries which best displayed, to me, a blend of creativity, individuality, novelty, and consummate craftsmanship. I studied every image closely, searching for details that convinced me that every element of each piece I selected was exactly the way the artist wanted me to see it, a tricky job considering the fact that we were afforded one single digital image of each entry from which to work. Fortunately, the overall quality of the photography was of amazingly high caliber, which made the task easier. Because the final selection of images that will ultimately be displayed will be culled from votes cast by three jurors, I do not know, as I write, what that final selection will be. Regardless, I have absolutely no doubt that 'METAL Inclinations 2' will be a stunning knockout!
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SYDNEY LYNCH BIO:
Sydney Lynch received a BFA from University of Colorado in 1973, and has been a full time studio jeweler for 28 years. Creating both production and one of a kind pieces in her studio in Lincoln, Nebraska, she exhibits nationally, and her work is represented in many locations across the country. Shows have included the American Craft Council and Buyers Market of American Craft, SOFA, the Philadelphia Museum Show, the Smithsonian Craft Show, Wild Geese at the Irish Craft Council in Kilkenny, and numerous gallery exhibitions.
JUROR'S STATEMENT:
Being part of this jury was an exciting challenge considering the breadth of vision, technique and material submitted for the exhibition. What I saw overall is a passion for creating using metal and other materials as the medium for a wide range of self-expression. Given the number and variety of submissions, I tried to acknowledge a broad range of style, technique and material. The themes that motivated the metalsmiths ranged through personal experience and/or cultural background, environmental concerns, humor, natural forms, mechanical and architectural forms, and efforts to push boundaries both formally and conceptually.
In some cases I was inspired by X-treme craftsmanship and mastery of technique, and also by the raw energy and vitality of other pieces. Strong, successful design was one of my main criteria. Depending on the individual piece I was moved by originality, sometimes by beauty, and often by what surprised me and made me take a second and third look. The excitement about and dedication to their work was evidenced by all of the artists represented. It has been a privilege to participate in this process, and inspiring to see this representation of dynamic forward motion in the field of metalsmithing.
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