July 12, 2025 - July 26, 2025
The Viewing Room Art Gallery
Hardware/Softwear is a collection of contemporary jewellery pieces made using CAD and SLS nylon 3D printing. The title of the collection references objects created through a CAD software program that are made "hard" or real through 3D printing. The title reflects the digital object's shift from virtual creation to tangible, real-life artefacts that can be touched and experienced. The play on words between "ware" and "wear" highlights jewellery's dual role as both a commodity for sale and a personal object worn on the body.
This contemporary jewellery collection explores hard objects that move as if they are soft, and shapes that are usually experienced as soft but are stiff due to 3D printing. It references the aesthetic qualities of hard organic materials like rocks and coral, alongside the soft aesthetic of needlecraft such as knitwork, draped fabric, and lace.
The jewellery pieces in the collection investigate materiality and corporeality. Some pieces also embrace a distinctly digital aesthetic, moving away from explicit references to nature and traditional handicrafts. Throughout, the objects in this collection showcase the versatility of additive manufacturing (AM) tools as a means of producing contemporary jewellery. This exhibition is part of the Master's study titled Strategies for Authentic Contemporary Jewellery Production with AM Technology: An Exploration through Practice. The study aimed to explore how AM technology's ability to reproduce objects, automate processes, and substitute traditional hand skills influences the resulting jewellery. It also examined how AM technologies are emerging as a suitable method for creating contemporary jewellery, with special emphasis on how the use of this technology aligns with the values of the contemporary jewellery field.
