Solstice – of darkness and light, images of work

Here are some images of my work in the exhibition, a group of seven concrete and mixed media objects, titled Dust from a distant sun. Here's how I described it in our show media:

This installation of cast concrete, iron-oxide pigment, clay, coral, leather, wax, aluminium and gold is a meditation on the changing lightscapes throughout our days, and on the heaviness of time irrevocably passing. Vast cloudy afternoons, starry nights, long forgotten mornings; once gone, never to return. The objects–containers, vessels, industrial-organic forms–stand seemingly together, grouped like planets or a constellation, yet each ultimately alone, perhaps carrying the same melancholy that contemplating the enormous universe sometimes evokes. Comforting, the warmth of the sun is always present, as light connecting the works and illuminating the gently rendered surfaces.

photo: ©Aurelia Yeomans

Inari Kiuru: Dust from a distant sun (2015), installation of seven objects made of concrete, clay, leather, foam, wax, crystal, paint, aluminium, gold leaf and iron oxide pigment.

All photos except one by © Inari Kiuru 2015.

Solstice – of darkness and light exhibition

Image: Inari Kiuru (2015) Solstice, giclee print on archival art paper, 380 x 430 mm, edition of 20

Solstice – of darkness and light

Aurelia Yeomans
Inari Kiuru
Naoko Inuzuka

A solstice marks the two brief moments during an astronomical year when day and night meet at their longest and shortest. This changing metaphorical relationship between dreaming and wakefulness, the conscious and the unconscious, and the natural cycles around and within us, is the focus of Solstice –
of darkness and light, an installation of contemporary jewellery, object and image.

fortyfivedownstairs
June 23 - July 4 2015
45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000

Opened by Dr Kirsten Haydon, RMIT University, Melbourne
and Mary-Lou Jelbart, Artistic Director, fortyfivedownstairs


A heartfelt thank you to everyone who saw our show, either in the gallery or through online images. Especially big thanks to our partners, friends, families, teachers and mentors whose support and help was invaluable in realising our first independent exhibition. More images of the work and gallery in the next posts!

Enamel animals for Heat Exchange in Arizona

What's been happening?

Now that Heat Exchange-exhibition at the Shemer Arts Center & Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, is over (and has moved across the Atlantic to Erfurt, Germany), I can publish my whole post for the HE-blog here, too (see below).
However, please click on the link below as the collective body of work created for the exhibition by international artists is nothing short of amazing – fascinating in its range of techniques and concepts, and for those interested in contemporary enamelling, a must see! 


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Enamel animals

Originally posted to the Heat Exchange-blog on April 27, 2012


Edited 20 February 2017 to remove corrupted image links.

As a metalsmith, I’m currently interested in different types of steel which can be welded into structures that safely withstand the heat of the kiln, and the application of liquid enamels which allow me to paint metal surface like canvas. The solid structure of steel and the fluid patterns of liquid enamels create a challenging, fascinating combination for ongoing investigation.

My starting point was a steel model from last November, based on studying forms at airports. I wanted to see how I could use similar angular shapes in slightly larger object-based work. Initially, my plan was to continue developing pieces on the airport theme, but as I begun sketching, the idea of movement and a more playful concept about “flight” emerged. I decided to make two winged containers, “enamel animals”, balanced with weights in hidden compartments. I thought they could softly move, if touched, upon their curved bases.

Above are some initial sketches and cardboard models of different wings, and the following images show the evolution of the two objects after welding, going through a couple of different variations of wings and noses. Here you can also see some of my first enamelling samples with liquid enamels on steel and copper, created in 2010 during the life-changing workshop by Elizabeth Turrell in Perth. These early experiments still strongly inspire my use of layers, line and colour in enamelling.

The wings slot into the objects so that they could be inserted separately, without oxidising in the high temperatures of the kiln.

The main materials used for the work were mild and galvanised steel, welded and cold-joined, then enamelled with clear liquid #969 and P3 pigment for surface texturing,
And finally, the finished pieces:


“Enamel Animals, two figures having a conversation, are carefully balanced containers with secret compartments for weights (or any other small, heavy things you might need to hide). If touched, the animals will gently rock, perhaps nodding in agreement, with quiet knowing… “


Cheers and warm regards to everyone – can’t wait to see all the final works!
Inari

Man jewellery!

Inari Kiuru 2011, Armour for the heart. Steel, glass. 

MANJEWELLERY was a project initiated by the amazing jewellist Melissa Cameron and published at Crafthaus website in 2011.

My theme for the two brooches, especially created for this virtual exhibition, was 'protection', something masculine in form but universal in nature, designed to shield and to ground.

Photograph by Marc Morel © 2011 Modelled by Shaun Tan, Marcos Guzman
Inari Kiuru 2011, Windy day anchor. Lead, iron, 18ct gold. 2011

Work for Bell Weather, our Graduate Exhibition 2010

Artists:

Kim Victoria Wearne
Anita van Doorn
Colly Lu
Bin Dixon-Ward
Inari Kiuru
Soo Jeong Jo
Courtney Jackson
Marcos Guzman
Emi Fukuda
Emily Drummond
Lauren Joffe
Timothy Smullen
Alysha Batliwalla
Romy Mittelman
Sarah Fletcher
Chloë Powell


Finally, the assessment is over, work finished (almost : D, i've just been granted the permission to do some very final welding) , and our graduation exhibition Bell Weather mounted, opened and running successfully.

To me, it's a beautiful, personal show and I appreciate every piece in it: Having travelled with my fellow students for three years, all the work in the exhibition speaks about the experiences, learning, challenges and changes we've all gone through, and most of all, of the passion and creative discoveries of each individual. I hope you get to see it too.

It's at 1000 Pound Bend, 361 Little Lonsdale St (just 30 metres uphill from Elizabeth Street), very central Melbourne until next Friday the 12th, 6 pm. Welcome!

Here are some snapshots, taken in low light, from my work at the show. It's a small selection from this year's projects, and I'm reasonably happy how things turned out. It was great fun and a deep adventure researching and creating the works. I've been saying that it feels as if I've found a path or direction of some sort, creatively, and really look forward seeing where it can take me, and the other way round.

The main materials this year have been steel and enamel, often constructed by welding, to safely take the heat of the kiln. I've also been experimenting with various other materials, such as glass and wax. Without further ado, the titles of the work are:



Table 1 - Silversmithing, from the largest vessel anti-clockwise:

Honey Blossom Sting / spun, etched steel, copper, enamel

Orange container from Let us be lovers – New Jersey industrial landscapes series / mild steel, sugar fired enamel. The series gets its name from the opening line of the old Simon & Garfunkel ballad 'America' which was playing in my head when we took a train from Manhattan to New Jersey last winter. The objects are based on the photos from that journey.

Evening emerges from Day meets night series / mild steel, galvanised steel,
enamel, liquid gold

Fragile nightmares from Day meets night series / mild steel shim, etched and heat coloured

Andalucia brooch / mild steel, glass, 925 silver, stainless steel pin















(More objects from the New Jersey series, photographed by Jeremy Dillon 2010.)


Table 2: Jewellery

Selected pieces from Winter thoughts (between two summers) series
mild steel, enamel, glass, brass, encaustic wax, safety pins, steel coated copper mesh

* * *

At the end of the exhibition images, some of the background / process images too.
Hope to see you at the show!













"To me, creating objects and jewellery feels exactly like playing and discovering new things did as a child. There is a timeless sense of wonder about bringing abstract concepts, ideas and inner worlds into a tangible form, and witnessing how raw ingredients begin to take on a life of their own. I enjoy experimenting with different materials, learning their language as we spend time together, taking a few risks to see what would happen if ...

I am curious, and I definitely want there to be madness in my method.

As an artist my key objective is to never lose my sense of humour – or of the absurd. Examining our immediate environment, the strange depths of the most mundane things and interactions, is my way of looking for light. A way to survive in this world. There are maps in the dirt, stories in wrinkled wrappers, and whole histories discarded on roadsides. Taking time to honour and share these observations through making feels not only like magic, but like a constant renewal of some kind of human hope. I would like my work to convey this."

Inari Kiuru November 2010


And here, some images leading up to the final works:



Partly finished steel objects, and an etched aluminium cone for the other large vessel.



Etching Honey Blossom Sting the Swedish way (ja ja!)– in an IKEA rubbish bin!
The copper sulfate and salt liquid I've been using works especially well if
mixed with hot water.




Vessel with a copper flange which has a steel support with prongs,
and another large spun vessel with shifted enamel, not yet ready.
I had a lot of trouble getting the enamel to stay on the golden coloured
piece, it kept pinging off in a circular pattern, perhaps because I didn't
prepare the steel surface well enough (emerying off spinning ridges).



Sprayed with Klyrfire and water mix, shifted. I thought at the time
that the shifting was maybe too thick at places, perhaps that's why
the enamel surface was rather uneven initially, and kept breaking.





The welded steel top and an aluminium insert. The top
now has texta drawings of cranes and a thick coat of encaustic
wax – will post a photo as soon as I get a chance to take a proper one.



One of the smaller trivets I made for hanging delicate objects in the kiln.



Etched steel plate and shim; a smaller etched steel vessel
and the beginnings of Fragile nightmares.




My bench at uni, leading up to the final weeks : )

And as a post-scriptum, some images of the Winterthoughts pieces taken in a better light, later on.

RMIT Gold & Silversmithing Jewellery Auction 2010

Lately, the life of our class has been virtually nothing but organising, organising and organising. It is because this year, it's our turn as 3rd years, to organise the traditional jewellery auction which will fundraise for our end-of-year exhibition and catalogue. Amazing how quickly the time has gone from first year to here, almost leaving … it's great, with all we've learned and the jewellery moments along the way, but a little scary at the same time. And now, only a few days to go to the first big event of our (quickly vanishing) year.

Here are the important details of what, where and when. You can also see images of work for sale at our blogsite, link below. The site is still continuously updated, so mark it in your browser and keep checking back.

RMIT Gold and Silversmithing Annual Jewellery Auction 2010

Hope to see you there!

RMIT Gold and Silversmithing Annual Jewellery Auction 2010:
Snap up the work of contemporary jewellers and silversmiths!

The RMIT Gold and Silversmithing auction is just around the corner – only four days to go! An annual landmark within the jewellery community, collectors and the public, this event is a great opportunity to spot emerging jewellers and silversmiths, and to purchase original handmade pieces by established and up-and-coming artists.

The work will be auctioned by the legendary jewellery expert Mr Ronnie Bauer of Klepner’s Fine Antique Jewellers, assisted by our own Alysha Batliwalla. A fundraising tradition, all proceeds go towards the end-of-year graduate exhibition and catalogue which highlight the exceptional talent this course nurtures and develops.

Come along, have a wonderful night and show your support by bidding on some outstanding jewellery pieces!

Wednesday 11 August
Previewing of work from 6.00 pm
Auction begins 7.00 pm

The auction venue is just opposite RMIT Storey Hall, upstairs:

The Order of Melbourne
Level 2 /401 Swanston Street

Food & drinks available at the venue
Credit card and EFTPOS facilities

If you're a maker and would like to support us by donating original jewellery, it's not too late! Please see our Invitation to Participate for details.

Welcome!
The Graduating Gold and Silversmithing Class of 2010

Maybe we're all born with a spoon of some kind in our mouth?

It must be in the blog air, the reminiscing about our paths to jewellery and looking at the very early work (something that's still very recent for me, a latecomer to the field). I had just been thinking about my first silversmithing pieces and how I got here when I was further inspired by the recent posts by Melissa Cameron and Karen, Melissa (previously a designer) talking about the events that lead her to seriously pursue jewellery as a career, and Karen (the amazing host of Melbourne Jeweller blog) showing her first year, first semester RMIT silversmithing pieces.

So here's something from my first months at RMIT in 2008 when we were introduced to silversmithing by the lovely Beatrice Schlabowsky. The making of a copper spoon from scratch was especially a tough one for me, and I remember being very proud at the end, of having been able to forge something that resembled a cutlery piece even vaguely. I'm always amazed and impressed when I now see other spoons from the first year projects – they're so beautifully designed, all really original, and perfectly finished! (This is not to say we weren't taught well, but more a realisation that while some possess natural abilities for shaping metal, others like me have to learn them from the very, very, very beginning! : )

Our briefs that semester were to design and make a "Filter" and "Spoons". Here's some:



Seven Characteristics in Spoons (2008)
Stainless steel teaspoons, steel wire, adhesive (yes! supaglue!), magnet, shrink wrap
These seven spoons are a playful take on modifying an industrial object, always identical in the hundreds and thousands that are produced, to speak about individual tendencies.

I thought about the states of being 'Discontent', 'Enlightened', 'Charismatic', 'Self-Obsessed', 'Fragile', 'Pessimistic' and 'Optimistic'. See if you can spot which is which.

Looking at this image has also given me an idea for something that a friend in the virtual sphere, Eddy, asked me to do a while ago …



Japanese Laundry (2008)
Roller-embbossed copper, brass, black pebbles, thread, glass
This was my filter. I can't remember exactly anymore what the rationale for being a filter was, but somehow I arrived at a mobile-like solution that plays with the sense of gravity and proportion. It has stony weights hovering just above the ground, attached to the wing of a mute and blind house (no entry, no exit, only form). The oxidised tones and patterns of copper and brass reminded me of silk, and the black pebbles of garderns; water of East – the reasons for the name. I wanted to present the piece standing on a pond, for the reflection – so I placed it on a tray with cardboard and water for the assessment. Oops … spillage and tearing that I can now laugh about … Here's a detail from a picture I took later on:



Then, there was a spoon that I created on the morning of assessment, in the usual panic.
But I like it! Maybe it's dedicated to Yoko Ono?




Breathe (2008)
Qantas plastic spoon, nylon netting,
grapevine twig, mother of pearl, copper

And then a few cast spoons:


Atmo-sphere (2008)
A gasket and a plastic Qantas spoon cast in fine silver



Childhood (2008)
Thread lace and wax – this image is taken before casting in fine silver



And finally, a nameless copper spoon that I will keep forever : )