The urban chic neck pieces flaunting the rarest of faceted natural stones, brass and beads are reminiscent of the turquoise painted bead necklaces of Mohenjadaro. With touches of the past come the compelling dhokraware beads, glazed ceramic pendants and tribal wooden beads which might grace a contemporary take off on a Chattisgarh tribal breast plate choker, delicately spun silver orb earrings or a shower of glass beads in many shades with faceted dhokra pieces.
‘The Bedazzling Jewellery Exhibition' is as much about generation now and next as about classicism, presenting the drama of jewellery in a 100 different avatars: bold, chunky, ethereally delicate, textured, hand painted and above all hand crafted. Each piece tells its own story.
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Viji Prathap and Bernice Vijayan, whose work is being showcased at ‘Bedazzled Jewellery' are jewellery makers with a difference.
Viji, who is a Chennai based post graduate in Biochemistry, says, “Pure science was the key to unravel and understand the beauty and complexity of nature, particularly of lesser known stones with their fascinating flex and markings and infused with a design drama of their own.”
Her hand crafted ‘Avanya' line of jewellery features the sparkle of unusual stones and cuts along with porcelain, wooden beads, sterling silver, brass and gold plated metal. Ever seen a monachite in a lyrical range of overlapping colours, rhodonite teamed with turquoise in a neck piece, a free cut slab of lepidolite earrings with delicate filigree work, exquisite porcelain pendants, hand painted with miniscule peacock feather motifs and accented with gold? The ‘Adanya' line plays with the unusual beauty, cut and colour of stones, often interspersed with beads or plain hemp strings, with the design template ranging from the contemporary to the ornate.
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Bernice Vijayan's ‘Kayel' celebrates the sheer colour and form of the glass beads of Ferozabad teamed with dhokra beads and circular pendants, painted gypsy beads and huge globules of brass beads. Exquisitely handcrafted silver jewellery, very contemporary in tone and set with black diamonds and other semi-precious stone are other attractions at the exhibition. Sterling silver jewellery from Delhi is also on offer.
Also on view at the exhibition are apparels designed by Mridulika Menon Madiraju, which range from cotton, tussar and linen kurtis to tops and stoles with esoteric and unusual block prints, clean cuts and elegant silhouettes.
‘Bedazzling Jewellery' opens Friday at Samasta, 29, C.P. Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet, and is on till June 16.