Visual Arts Scotland’s Annual Exhibition, Alight, opens in the Upper Galleries at the RSA on 26 January 2019 and runs until 22 February
Images: 16 medals to everyday moments ‘Sensing Every Moment – A Celebration of the Ordinary’ and
‘A Moment’ brooch which encapsulated blown dandelion seeds
“Ailsa’s bold yet sensitive interpretations of personal emotions and memories
through jewels are imaginative and creative.”
Joanna Hardy (jewellery expert and Antiques Road Show specialist)
Jewellery designer, Ailsa Morrant, who won a prestigious Chairman’s Medal on graduating from the GSA last year, will showcase some of her Degree Show designs in Alight, Visual Arts Scotland’s Annual Exhibition which opens in the Upper Galleries at The Royal Scottish Academy on 26 January.
Ailsa’s work has been widely exhibited since graduation, including in the world-renowned contemporary jewellery gallery Marzee in the Netherlands – which also selected a piece of her graduate work for their permanent collection – and the prestigious Goldsmiths Centre in London.
On viewing Ailsa’s work at the Goldsmiths Centre Joanna Hardy, jewellery expert and specialist on the BBC Antiques Roadshow described, it as ‘brilliant’ and commented that Ailsa’s ‘bold yet sensitive interpretations of personal emotions and memories through jewels are imaginative and creative.’
Ailsa Morrant uses jewellery as a potent medium to explore and discuss the relationship and tension between materialism and happiness. Her work prompts us to not only consider what we wear as jewellery, who makes it, and how and why we wear it, but also to consider the value and beauty of our everyday objects and how valuable they are in facilitating and making more visible and mindful our connection with others.
“My work is about gently promoting the kind of everyday moments that could increase our daily happiness and contentment if we were more aware of them, instead of letting them rush past,” says Ailsa. “The traditional jewellery we wear and cherish is mainly concerned with key, retrospective moments rather than the everyday moment we are in or are yet to experience.”
“A moment is difficult to capture because you mostly only know you have experienced it after it has gone.”
“As an artist and designer I see myself as an enabler by sharing my everyday moments and designing something that facilitates others to express their moment. It’s about what I can do to heighten awareness and enable others to capture their moments and express their happiness
Ailsa Morrant is currently an artist in residence at the GSA.
For further information Alight visit: http://www.visualartsscotland.org/exhibition/alight
For further information on the GSA contact:
Lesley Booth
07799414474
@GSofAMedia