SMCK on Reel: Political Jewelry

Place: Open Art Studio, 19 Chojnowska St.

Date: 30.04.-21.07.24

Opening: 10.05.24, 20:30

Organiser: SMCK Magazine

Curators: Christoph Ziegler, Loukia Richards

Opening hours:

Tuesday-Sunday: 12:00-18:00 (Entrance free but requires earlier notification by phone at +48 535 600 599.)

Admission free

Ornaments inspire people to keep fighting for a just cause

SMCK ON REEL Political Edition for Legnica SILVER Festival highlights jewelry's potential to co-shape public opinion.

SMCK ON REEL, the video festival inspired by jewelry and wearable art participates in Legnica SILVER Festival with the video documentaries „Political Jewelry“ and „Greetings from Ukraine“.

Both movies emphasize jewelry's impact on political communication and its potential to increase our understanding of world changing events, and cement our empathy.

Political Jewelry, video, 2024

Thirteen video chapters explain origins and fundamental concepts of politics, and present artists working on the following issues or concepts:

Totalitarianism, food policies, state control, US elections 2024, Armenian genocide, October 7^th, Christian heritage, European civilization, ecology, political murders, drought, material culture of the unprivileged, perspective change.

With Michaela Coman (Romania/UK), Chris Kiseno (Colombia/Spain), Ba An Le (Australia), Jason Stein (USA), Elin Flognman (Sweden), Narinée Tchilinguirian (Lebanon/Canada), Adriana Radulescu (USA), Dania Chelminsky (Israel), Christoph Straube (Germany), Christiane Englsberger (Germany), Gunther Pfeffer (Germany), Christoph Ziegler (Germany), Loukia Richards (Greece).

Concept, development and production credits: Loukia Richards and Christoph Ziegler. Video credits for Christoph Straube, Christiane Englsberger, Gunther Pfeffer: concept: Isolde Bazlen, production: bluelake media.

Greetings from Ukraine, video, 2024

 
The death of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny last February marked the second anniversary of Russia's war on Ukraine, and the invader's undiminished hunger for destruction and occupation.

The documentary Greetings from Ukraine tells the story of the tragedy seen through the eyes of three internationally acclaimed designers, and underlines the importance of solidarity and action.

Three Ukrainian jewelry artists and designers talk about the power of ornaments to inspire national cohesion and resistance, while they give their account of the hardships of war.

With Stanislav Drokin, Yuri Plehanov, GuniaProject.

Concept, development and production credits: Loukia Richards and Christoph Ziegler.

SMCK ON REEL also presents the video lecture “Secrets of the reels” on the aesthetical, educational and communication significance of the medium video for jewelry artists. The video has been made exclusively for the culmination events of Legnica SILVER on 10 and 11 May 2024.

The lecture analyzes challenges contemporary jewelry artists face to promote their work and reach the international public, while it explains the mechanisms of achieving recognition and obtaining funding and awards for one's work.

Concept, development and production credits: Loukia Richards and Christoph Ziegler. Credits for Danner Talk in Landshut: Simone Nickl (in cooperation with Danner Foundation and Isolde Bazlen.)

Background

SMCK ON REEL is a project by SMCK Magazine. The video festival was founded by Loukia Richards and Christoph Ziegler in 2022.

Video works by more than a hundred jewelry artists have already been screened in crafts and jewelry international meetings such as Grassimesse in Leipzig, Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein,  Galerie Handwerk, Galerie Weltraum in Munich, Metalofonas Biennial in Vilnius, Faktor Art Space in Hamburg, ROJW in Bucharest / Timisoara / Chisinau, and the Museum of History of Ukraine in bombarded Kiev.

Hamburgische Stiftung, one of Germany's major cultural foundation, as well as The City of Munich have sponsored some of the video screenings.

Reels offer the art-loving public insight into the maker’s narrative, enable low-budget international networking and promotion, and enrich the viewer’s appreciation of applied art and design.

Since 2011, Christoph Ziegler and Loukia Richards have curated over fifty art exhibitions and events in Germany, Netherlands and Greece, featuring more than two hundred international artists and designers.

Ziegler and Richards have presented interdisciplinary projects, performances, video screenings, educational workshops, brainstormings, and e-residencies in acclaimed institutions such as Bauhaus Foundation Dessau, Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein Munich, Grassi Museum Leipzig, European Fashion Heritage Association, Federal Environment Agency Dessau, Goethe Institute Athens, Altes Museum Berlin, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, Thikwa Theater Berlin, 2020 e.V. Hamburg, Vilnius Jewelry Biennial, Altonale Art Festival Hamburg, Faktor Art Space Hamburg, Künstlerdorf Schöppingen Foundation, Niarchos Foundation Greece, Onassis Library Athens etc.

Please visit www.smck.org for more information and detailed program.

See also: www.smck.org/smck-reel.html

Frames from the film Political Jewellery

Michaela Coman A City to Wear

Ba An Le The cockroach's fault

 Jason Stein Hostile defense artifact

Gunia project video

Loukia Richards Trump

Adriana Radulescu The Flag