1982/2010

In the very first days of 2011, Brazil has changed its presidency. I am not a person qualified to judge this last government in terms of its political and economical achievements, but one thing in it was very disturbing and I would like to comment here. We've been governed for long eight years by a person that was proud to have had no education. Our last president did not have a university degree and was proud of it.This was really a bad example for the whole population considering our average level of education and all the difficulties that a person has to be submitted in order to get any diploma.

As I was reflecting upon this subject last week, I received some documents from Miriam Mirna Korolkovas about a jewelry exhibition that happened in November, 1982.

Korolkovas is a brazillian artist that has been working with jewelry, not only producing a series of exquisite formal pieces, but also working as a teacher. First at her own school during the 80's and more recently as a teacher in a fashion design college. Today she is away from the teaching scenario because she is focusing in curatorial work and in the production of a book of contemporary jewelry.

Digging in her own material, she found some newspapers notes about this exhibition and knowing NOVAJOIA's efforts to promote Art Jewelry, she send it to me.

Miriam M. Korolkovas

At that time I was only 12 and did not get to know about the exhibition, although it took place in a very prestigious museum. It gathered the works of 18 jewelers and also showed a small jewelry workshop at the place, so the audience could get an idea of how jewelry is made. It was quite an achievement.

Today, 29 years later, I could not recognize many names in the list, whether because they are working in the industry only (a field I do not follow the news), whether they have just given up jewelry. Anyway I would like to point out the names of Michael Striemer and Salvador Francisco Neto, because both are artists that also work as teachers . Michael at his own school, California 120 and Salvador at Escola Arte Metal.

Michael Striemer

Salvador Francisco Neto

In a land where education is quite problematic, I guess it is important to keep remembering names of people that make a difference, that contribute by sharing their knowledge.

As Korolkovas, both belong to a generation that puts a strong emphasis in material and formal research and have been influencing many new artists.

The three artists, each one with its own characteristics, give us an example of tenacity and generosity when they dedicate themselves to education. Let's hope in the new government, these kind of examples may have the chance to grow in number so in the future we may recognize easily all the new names dedicated to contemporary jewelry.

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