Woekeren

How is it possible that the contemporary image of women is still not emancipated? And what role does the demonization of women by the Christian church and the rewriting of fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm play in this? This question has been the basis for my gradiation project. From my own need to take root again (after having worked elsewhere for 7 years), I try to study and master materials and traditions around me. The subjects in my work are therefore very personal. They are socially critical and feminist and revolve around this soil; in both transience and growth I see parallels with both social and (my) individual development. Being radically rooted to me means understanding where I come from, what part is socialization and what part can be changed. In this project I have used traditional goldsmith techniques and combined them with 3D technology of scanning, printing and then hand carving the pieces again. By using different stages of wood (3D printend wood, pressed Charcoal and Jet) I have transformed shapes into new ones or back in to older forms. By reclaiming elements of stories appropriated by the Church into the feminine idiom and into my collection, I have created jewellery that symbolises freedom of choice and autonomy. Jewellery that reminds us of the power within ourselves and the ability to change our lives.