Helena Rohner (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1968) has always liked to talk about jewelry as “shy sculptures,” the reason for this modesty being their size, never their character or their ambition. I remember that the first time I heard her expression, years ago, I thought that she fit her own pieces like a glove. But when visiting Escultura timid, a dialogue between traditional and contemporary jewelry – curated by her together with Concha Herranz, curator of the jewelry collection at the Madrid Costume Museum, which houses it until May 5, I was forced to rethink the (surprising) capacity of the phrase to generically define the very nature of jewelry, a medium of artistic expression generally unknown to the general public and of which exhibitions are hardly organized in our country.
Exhibitions focused on jewelry, an art that still has to fight both ignorance and prejudice, are very rare in our country. How did the idea of organizing 'Shy Sculpture' come about?
Before the pandemic, the Costume Museum invited me to a visit to see its wonderful collections. And there I realized that, as in the case of other museums, they hardly have any jewelry on display despite having more than 9,000 pieces. I suggested showing them to the public, and Elena (López de Hierro), its director, really liked the idea. She told me that I should select them; She wanted the gaze of someone outside the museum and its logic. You know well that I consider jewelry to be miniature sculptures, and with that idea I began to shape it. But by working hand in hand with Concha (Herranz) in the selection, I soon became aware that she also had to be emotionally involved in the project. And, on the other hand, I found it interesting and enriching to complete the proposal with a second objective: to highlight the little-known wealth of the history of contemporary creativity in jewelry in Spain. The concept was clear. I knew that these were two expressions that have a lot to do with each other, now, in the process we learned a lot.
Like what?
The importance of memory in creation, for example. Jewelry from the 1800s is super contemporary, very valid today. Many current designers drink from it, its symbolism, its aesthetics and techniques, without realizing it. I think of the acorn shapes of Berao or the flowers of Andrés Gallardo. Or the modernity of our popular tradition. Or the weight of the Barcelona school in contemporary Spanish jewelry. Many things!
The most intense feeling when seeing it is, without a doubt, surprise. And not only because of the fluidity of this dialogue between modernity and tradition, also because of the way you have chosen to present the pieces: nothing in the typical chronological order but rather grouped into thematic axes, with a sobriety that contrasts with the idea of a jewel...
It has a lot to do with my first idea of the exhibition: I had 200 pieces selected and I wanted, to see them, the visitor to enter a completely different space that promoted interaction with them. The work of Marta Muñoz – who is an architect and has exquisite taste – with museography has been fundamental. We were clear that we wanted to appeal to the senses – and emotions – as much as the head. And that harmony and beauty were a clear beginning. We took advantage of beautiful old display cases similar to those in natural history museums and used natural stone from Cosentino as support. Even methacrylate, which we chose because antique jewelry cannot come into contact with many materials – and which none of us liked at first – provides a translucency that has proven to be perfect. Even the color pink, which has a very feminine touch, also adds sobriety... It has been a very intuitive journey, but in which everything has ended up falling into place harmoniously.
You have referred a couple of times to the work of selecting the pieces, but what were the criteria for choosing them?
We did not take into account the value of its materials or the names of its authors but rather the pieces themselves. Its aesthetic proposal, its symbolic value... It has been an exercise of putting the focus on the jewelry. And something very interesting is that the ego of the creators has been far below them, who are the true protagonists of the exhibition. As well as the brands, because there are also pieces by artists working for a brand, as in the case of Nuria Mora with Grassy... And it is not an exhibition of designers or brands but of Spanish jewelry. Of pieces.
And, speaking of pieces, I think that working with the antique jewelry has been very complicated, right?
They are very protected, of course, and cannot be manipulated just like that. In the basement of the museum we set up 17 tables that corresponded to the exhibitors in the exhibition and, based on photographs, we made models of the pieces so that we could work with them freely. It wasn't easy, no.
Another thing to highlight is that the team that has shaped 'Timid Sculpture' is entirely made up of women, from the museum management to the curators, including the person in charge of museology, and even the catalog editor...
It has been something very natural, really. I work with women in my studio, and in the museum there are few men... We have made a joint effort in which a creative symbiosis has occurred between Concha, Marta and I, and to which Carmela Nogales has contributed a lot - selecting designers, speaking with them, asking for parts, etc.– and Irene Girona –my graphic artist, who has designed a logo that is also very important–. Without forgetting the catalog by María Luisa Samaranch, which prolongs the life of the exhibition. And having the blind faith of Elena, the director, has been essential. Everything has come together.
And you as orchestra director…
It has been a job... Making a curatorship like this involves attending to many branches and layers. And to manage such a project successfully it is necessary to understand that one cannot control everything personally, but that one's role is to make each person aware of the importance of their own contribution and be free to develop their work. . That, and guide all dialogue towards agreement. Thank goodness I studied international politics…
Finally, what would you say was the ultimate goal of the exhibition? And, do you consider it achieved?
Without a doubt! Surprising was one of the most important objectives, and we have done it. And if giving back to the world of jewelry part of what we have received from it was the end, I will tell you that I am convinced that the more we know about the tradition of Spanish jewelry and the more we value it, the more we support our own work.
