As the worlds largest museum for decorative arts and design; this April the V&A will reopen their doors in time for a new season of showcasing their impressive new FuturePlan; a ‘comprehensive programme of restoration and redesign’ which has been undergo since 2001. It is within this innovative, newly refurbished gallery that you will find the work of ‘the architectural jeweller’, Ute Decker.
A German-born artist who is crafting exquisite pieces of jewellery from Fairtrade Gold that is carefully mined from the Highlands of Peru from artisan miners, Ute is one of the first jewellers in the world to be sculpting, bending and twisting Fairtrade Gold. She has been voted one of ‘Britain’s most inspirational jewellery designers’, a leading innovator and master sculptor of minimalist but powerfully bold and unique pieces of jewellery – all hand-crafted at her home in London, and carefully sourced sustainably and responsibly from the artisan mining cooperative of Sotrami, Peru, who are protecting the lands natural resources for future generations. Ute is waving the flag for fashion and design with a clear message of consideration for where and how her materials are sourced.
“For me, jewellery is my medium of telling a story and working ethically and sustainably in a global world is one of the most urgent issues of today.”
Ute’s work has been compared to as “geometric poetry”, and her pieces are exhibited internationally in notable private and museum collections. Her ‘Curling Crest of a Wave’ is a free-flowing form, and it is the first piece in the V&A’s collection to hold the Fairtrade hallmark.
The Victoria & Albert’s FuturePlan is “an ambitious programme of development which is transforming the V&A. The best contemporary designers are creating exciting new galleries and visitor facilities, while revealing and restoring the beauty of the original building. In the past 15 years, over 85% of the museum’s public spaces have been transformed, improving access and allowing the collections to be more elegantly and intelligently displayed. By introducing bold new architectural interventions, FuturePlan aims to delight and to inspire visitors, and to continue the museum’s tradition of championing new talent.”
Ute’s work can be visited at the V&A’s new development from April 11th.
