Anyone familiar my work will realise that I have a certain fascination with facial prosthesis, especially in relation to the mouth. The mouth is the principal means of communication for the human, primarily through speech and secondarily thorough expression. Rife with connotation, more and more artists and jewellers alike have begun to explore and challenge the social conventions that are linked to the mouth as a significant and highly sexualised facial feature.

Lauren Kalman
Pedestal (2006), Tongue Gilding (2005), Aural, Oral, Digital Gems (2006)

Naomi Filmer
Mouthpiece (1996)

Pieces which connect so directly with the body differ from the standardised ‘wearing’ of jewellery. They both connect with, and yet at the same time expose the body as opposed to simply adorning it. Although these pieces are beautiful objects within themselves, once worn they enhance and expose the area which is rarely seen; changing the shape and features of the body and in effect, creating a human-prosthetic hybrid. Most oral based pieces would not be practical if worn in the same way as other, more traditional jewellery and so most depends upon the photographic image. This is rarely an issue and goes towards enhancing the transient beauty of the pieces.

Heidi Schwegler
Mouth Piece I (1998)

George Maciunas
Flux Smile Machine

Lesley Vik Waddell
Scold’s Bridle (1998)

Javier Moreno Frias
Protector (2006), glass

Paddy Hartley
Face Corset

Once upon a time, in a University far, far away (Leicester) there was a young art student who had never before encountered any such thing as contemporary jewellery. Naomi Filmer changed all that, and so it seems appropriate that she should feature as my first post! Using a variety of media including ice, chocolate and glass Filmer’s creations always embrace the human body; both celebrating its form and altering perceptions of how jewellery should be worn.