While I was in Genova, I went to see the newest contemporary jewellery gallery in the town, Te.Ta.Bu., located in a back street near the castle gate in the ancient part of the city. Run by Camilla Teglio, Barbara Taramasso and Emanuela Burlando, this gallery aims to showcase the works of the makers as well as others. 

 

Te.Ta.Bu. Galleria 1

 

The gallery is small and inviting and though it has no window display space, has made inventive use of the old inn in which it is housed, incorporating both workshop and gallery space.

 

Te.Ta.Bu. Galleria 2

 

Te.Ta.Bu. Galleria 3

 

The gallery is in both the upper section of the space next to the workshops and also in the basement, which used to be the wine-cellar.

 

Te.Ta.Bu. Galleria 5

 

Te.Ta.Bu. Galleria

 

Below, right to left, Camilla Teglio, Barbara Taramasso, János Gabor Varga, Me and Dingo.

 

Te.Ta.Bu. Galleria 4

 

Worth a visit if visiting the city in which there is very little contemporary jewellery on display.

(Though I did rather like this trashy lizard necklace, seen in a mainstream shop!)

 

Giovanni Raspini

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Comment by Brigitte Martin on November 4, 2011 at 9:00am

Dauvit,

It is definitely worth having this conversation on the THINKING OUT LOUD group. Good idea! The trouble is that the discussion you and Leisa are having is tied to the link you see in the browser. I can't take that discussion and physically move it elsewhere. There is an easy solution: What you can do is highlight and copy the relevant segments and repost them as a completely new discussion into that group.

 

You could of course link from the group back to this discussion but that will likely be cause for confusion and double postings in 2 different discussion threads. My vote is to gather the relevant segments from here, repost over there and open it up for everyone in ONE new thread.

 

B.

Comment by Leisa Rich on November 4, 2011 at 7:22am

Funny how a Crafthaus posting featuring a wee, wonderful gallery and its fantastic necklace has morphed into a philosophical discussion! That sneaky little lizard ;-) Thanks to Brigitte too, for helping remove age from opportunities on Crafthaus. I wasn't aware that that change had taken place and am thankful for it.

I guess you might say that my pieces Human Nature, Overcome and Good Girl, Bad Girl are pretty dark...for me, they aren't dark enough! Are you familiar with Sculpture, Art News and Art in America magazines? My work pales beside some of the work that expresses some pretty intense subject matter that one can see in the articles and the exhibitions they have usually emerged from. My head and heart are in that, my work in a safer zone. I think most artists make some sort of compromise for others...or to be socially accepted...

It's been wonderful hearing your thoughts which have encouraged me to think in different directions. Yes, I am a fantastic and stimulating teacher; unfortunately, I have been unable, due to life circumstances, to teach full-time at a university, which I would absolutely LOVE and am qualified to do. All sorts of things not of my doing keep getting in the way, and I have come to accept that it just isn't my path so, as I work with children a lot, I try to get them to open their minds as much as possible to...possibilities. Maybe that was my destiny...to inspire future thinkers? 

It IS intriguing as to the demographics inherent to your comments regarding age in organizations for art and craft. I would venture there are several explanations for that that would touch on socioeconomic, cultural, financial, psychological, etc., but that would be a long discussion for another time when I have more time! As for the 20-somethings, that generation emerged from the concept of FAST! in everything....so honing and developing a fine craft or skill, which often takes years, is something they haven't had enough years to do yet. Some are started on the right path, and others are caught up in creating things quickly with little substance. I am interested to watch what happens to the new breed of hippies as they struggle with depleted land, polluted air, fewer resources, etc. that will affect their materials and techniques as they attempt to do everything "naturally". I applaud all efforts in that direction; I lived in a commune for a brief time and believe me...it is not the utopia that it is often made out to be! There are now art communes popping up everywhere and they face all sorts of hierarchy, politics and more! Where humans are concerned, there is always adversity.

Well, I am off to art-related meetings today...and in one of them I will greatly compromise my personal vision with the group's vision in a collaborative exhibition we are doing..I have to keep my work "nice" ;-) Have a great day! 

Comment by The Justified Sinner on November 4, 2011 at 2:56am

You know, Leisa, that worries me that you have "the really graphic, disturbing work that is sitting in my head " and that you consider your current work "safer versions"! I am not too sure that I would want to see them: "Human Nature" and "Overcome" are pretty dark, and "Good Girl, Bad Girl" is, at least, unsettling. ("Burnt Sugar Heart" is my favourite.)

 

I suppose in some ways I've been lucky in that I didn't hit on my current style until I was 40 and so started to develop a confidence with it - and the materials - over the last 8 years. When I was very young, I really wanted to be 50. I thought it would be SO cool to be 50 and to wear suits and smoke cigars and play cards like my dad's friends did. I still think it is cool to be 50, but for different reasons and there is something very satisfying in approaching that age on an upward creative arc: so many people at 40 decide that they are "spent" or have developed a "mature style" from which they will never deviate. It is very unlikely that my sources - stylistically or physically - will change, but the technical skill with which they are deployed will continue to grow. As you say, "what is really up here in this head that will NEVER age...watch out world" and that is a wonderful attitude.

I see that you teach: a great thing for keeping you fresh and on-the-ball. Well, if you are a GOOD teacher, it does, and I would guess that you are an excellent teacher from the brief glimpses of you that I have from your online presence and comments here.

 

I have to say that I think that a lot of artists DO get "stale and boring" as they age, but I also think that they are the ones who drop out of the public eye. Some of my own favourite older makers never fail to surprise - Bob Ebendorf, Peter Chang - but there are so many makers you see at shows who just disappear into the ether. I suppose that might be a numbers thing: there is only so much exciting craft the world can take! (Well, that is my way of looking at it.)

 

It seems is fair to say that artists would generally agree that they oppose discrimination on the usual colour/religion/age/gender/... bases but there is something very subtle and complex going on here. If we look at the breakdown of the membership of Crafthaus, it looks to me as if it is predominately white, female and with an average age of 30 something. If I look at the breakdown of membership of my own organisation, the ACJ, it is predominately white, female and with an average age of 40 something. In recent years, we have seen the arrival on the scene of a lot more far-eastern Asian crafters, but what of the other groupings? I can't think on a single African-American or Black British jeweller, glassmaker or furniture-maker (my own areas of interest). I know one Black British tailor and one Leather Worker. I don't know any near-eastern Asian or Arabic crafters at all. I know that if we think hard, we can all name someone from these groups who is active in the craft world and I don't think that this is any sort of active discrimination at all, but I have to ask why it is that the groups I've mentioned above don't seem to contribute to the craft movement in nearly the same proportion as they are represented in society.

 

Brigitte, it might be worth opening this discussion out onto one of the boards. Is there a way of transferring it to "Thinking Out Loud" or something?

 

PS: As to the vain hope that political leaders could be chosen on merit or talent, NO CHANCE. I firmly believe that there are vanishingly few prinicpled politicians - your own President Obama might just be one of them - and that with very few exceptions, anyone who chooses to go into politics does it for purely selfish ends.

Comment by Brigitte Martin on November 3, 2011 at 6:14pm
I agree with Leisa and Dauvit too. Just wanted to point out that the under 30 age requirement to the ch workshop/conference scholarship and the SNAG/ch conference scholarship has already been removed a while ago at my urging. Everyone was fine with dropping that. I clearly feel that there are lots of emerging artists on ch (and elsewhere) who came to their art later in life and I wanted to recognize that. :-)

Brigitte
Comment by Leisa Rich on November 3, 2011 at 5:18pm

That is fantastic about the award that your association gave to an older person...but only because he/she had the temerity to take fresh steps and stretch him/herself, thus warranting being considered and awarded. I am ridiculously innocent in the belief that ALL choices- jobs, prizes, awards, accolades, grants, political leaders, etc.- should always be made on their merit or talent or experience.... not on "who you know" or "how old you are (or aren't)" or "whose ass you have kissed". As for "older" people stretching themselves, I am a very weird 50 something artist in that I am ALWAYS stretching. I have to admit to waiting with baited breath for "my time" AKA for that day when I will be released from my obligatory "good daughter" role and can do the really graphic, disturbing work that is sitting in my head while I make the safer versions. Not many people buy my work anyway...so when that day comes when I can vent what is really up here in this head that will NEVER age...watch out world! And I laugh as I think that that might be when I will actually sell....! My earlier comment is made through frustration at all of the opportunities that pass older artists by....i.e. the exhibition that a gallery gave when I was in grad school that everyone in my class was invited to go in BUT me- I was excluded because the maximum age specified IN WRITING was 30...and there was even an opportunity here in this wonderful Crafthaus that excluded me from participating, based on my age...again, what the hell is that all about?! Do artists suddenly get stale and boring at such an alarming rate as they age that they are looked down upon? Are we who keep looking, learning, growing a minority? You mention how your work has matured in a positive way as your career has progressed.....isn't that a great thing?!!!!! As some of us age, ego falls by the wayside and clarity opens up new possibilities. Landscaping- that is a very creative art! I have a black thumb, not just brown- everything plant-based shrivels up and dies when I try to nurture it!- so I have a very healthy respect for people creating with green. Ahhhh, didn't mean to write a tome here, all I can hope for is that anyone reading this opens themselves to the possibility that ALL ages CAN grow and progress artistically and that age discrimination has no place in art and is a form of prejudice.

Comment by The Justified Sinner on November 3, 2011 at 4:52pm

Oh dear, yes. I get so annoyed about that, especially when there are so many older makers who are still turning out thrilling work. I am on the board of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery in the UK and we made a conscious decision this year to award our annual prize to an older maker who had taken an interesting new direction (that was the basic brief on which we made the decision). Part of the problem is that it is just assumed that over a certain age, you don't need any help, which takes no account of people who change careers or who come to an arts subject late in life, of which there are many. I can honestly say that it has taken me 25 years to become happy and comfortable with my work and who I am as an artist. In some ways, I was "ruined" by winning some prizes at university for work (landscaping: it's a long story) which was really quite unrealistic.

Comment by Leisa Rich on November 2, 2011 at 5:15pm

Yes, the world is a wonderful place, and it is always incredible when our mislead beliefs about a place are dashed to the ground and we find out that it a better experience than we thought! I have travelled the world, and lived in a multitude of places- Indonesia, New Zealand, Canada, Hawaii, many of the U.S. states and more- and I have found that, without exception, there are positives and negatives in people and in the social construct no matter where you go! I base my opinions on getting to know the person. There are wolves in sheep's clothing and sheep in wolves' clothing! A challenge I am noticing recently is in the way middle age to older people are mistreated in society and especially in the art world. There are a variety of opportunities closed with an age restriction...what does age have to do with making art?!!!! 

Comment by The Justified Sinner on November 2, 2011 at 5:04pm

Leisa, I don't think the UK is more tolerant. I just think it is "differently tolerant"! When I was in the US over the last summer - my first visit - I was blown away by the politeness and generosity of everyone we met, even random people in New York, the complete reverse to what the rest of the world expects... surely, "Americans are brash and Brits are polite". Nonsense! I have made a conscious effort to stop swearing so much after my visit as over here people are very tolerant of swearing, which they most certainly are not in the US.

I know exactly what you mean about "the herd". I have a tunnel in my left ear which I've had for so long I can't remember and now everyone has them. Ditto the tattoos. At least the tattoos are carefully thought-out. I've never had one that I didn't think long and hard about, usually with the drawing on the wall above my desk for some time beforehand. 

 

I would think that the majority of my students have one or more tattoos and most of them never even comment on mine.

 

We already have a huge upsurge in tattoo removal and, alarmingly perhaps, many tattoo studios now offer removal too!

Comment by Leisa Rich on November 2, 2011 at 7:17am

The comments you refer to that I made in my last post were made by girls ages 9-13. It is funny this conversation should come up between us now, as this discussion occurred in my fiber art class with them just yesterday. They made the comments, "Tattooed people are losers", "They are weirdos and they can't get good jobs", "People with tattoos are low-life." I would venture to say that this view is held here by more of a majority than a minority of people of ALL ages. I know plenty of people in their 20's who think tattooing is very negative and look down on people who get tattoos. I believe the people of the U.K. must have more tolerance. I expressed to my students the variety of individuals we have in the world, and espoused the positiveness of creative expression and individuality. My personal views on tattooing had nothing to do with that conversation and I did not tell them my feelings. It was my job as a teacher to help them think in an open-minded way and be considerate of the choices of others different from themselves. I talked about art, body art throughout the ages, and about how each of them already make personal choices every day with their hair, clothing, etc. and that is what makes us unique as a species...that we can be unique and express ourselves. I had a nose piercing as a young mother back in the mid '80's. That piercing DID keep me from getting some jobs- and I have three university degrees that were still overshadowed in the job market by my nose ring- I was taunted, teased and ostracized for it. I finally took it out in the late 90's...not because of that, but because everybody started getting piercings, and I felt I was one in a bunch of sheep and unique no more! People being "radical" start resembling each other. And I really don't understand the tattoo of my artist friend. Here she is, supremely talented and unique, and instead of showing her talent and the deep meaning inherent to her sculptural art works by putting her own design on her body, she got something really common that a million other people can get done. I figure that if you are going to permanently alter your body, it should at least be very personal. I make a predication that tattoo removal is going to be a very, very hot business to get into for people who are in their teens now...in ten to fifteen years, there will be a large call for the plastic surgery tattoo removal of all of those rash decisions that also begin to drag and sag! 

As for Mr. T...he has always been a kind of non-entity for me...I hadn't even thought of him until I saw the photo you used!!!!

Keep on being an individual!

 

Comment by The Justified Sinner on November 2, 2011 at 2:10am

Gail, thanks! It really is and Genova is well worth a visit if you are in Italy.

 

Leisa, I'm intrigued by your comment "make it verbally clear that people who tattoo themselves are super weird losers". Over here, that attitude would be held by the tiny minority and would be held by a reactionary, older group of people. While it is still not a good idea to have tatooed extremities (hands, face) in the UK, it is highly unlikely that a tattoo would prevent you getting a job, most especially in the arts and it certainly wouldn't attract comment from passers-by (unless it is hideous and I am the passer-by!).

I'm surprised at your friend's choice. I don't mind good flash - the emphasis being on "good" - or ultra-traditional designs; they are just not for me. In terms of the ultra-traditional, things like knuckle-dusters, dice or eight-balls, they have history and context and that makes them classics. My own work is much more of my own design and reflects my fascination with the middle-ages; I have a variation of a Gustave Dore image from Dante's Inferno on one arm, an orobouros on my back, inscriptions in Latin and middle-high German, alchemic symbols for metals... you get the idea. From my own point of view, these images are permanently inked into my skin as they are such an intrinsic part of my psyche and also the person I want to portray to the world. I worry deeply about the current fashion for willfully bad "hipster" tattoos. The willful "irony" - that sneering attitude which pervades their every action - doesn't work in this case: all-too-soon they will discard the fixed-wheel bikes, the sneer, the big glasses and skinny jeans and find themselves stuck with some downright ugly tattoos to be covered up.

It is not really surprising that tattoos have again become popular: since their arrival in the West they have swung in- and out- of favour and in the UK - possibly in the US too - it was very fashionable for the wealthy in the 1930s to have tattoos and not always discreet ones: Winston Churchill had several and his wife had a tattoo of a green snake around her wrist; King George V was heavily tattooed. It would be my own opinion - though I've done no research to back this up - that they only fell out of favour in the post WWII period until their resurgence due to punk in the mid 1970s. My first tattoo - a rather ugly attempt at a renaissance angel done by a scratcher in Edinburgh and not my usual artist - was done in 1986 and this is probably about the first time that tattoos started to come out into the open again.

Thanks for the story about Mr. T. I had eschewed television by the time the A-Team hit the screens, so never really had the fan-connection that some people seem to have for him but there is something eminently likeable about him.

 

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