{"id":35916,"date":"2021-09-23T20:50:29","date_gmt":"2021-09-23T20:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=35916"},"modified":"2021-09-23T20:59:08","modified_gmt":"2021-09-23T20:59:08","slug":"timely-treasures-sothebys","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/","title":{"rendered":"Timely Treasures"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Sotheby\u2019s\"
Lola Fenhirst Mother Africa Malachite pendant, $20,000; Ten Thousand Things Emerald Waterfall necklace, $17,185; Sheryl Jones, The Heroine\u2019s Peridot and Pink necklace, $187,579; Shola Branson, Pink Tourmaline Oval M\u00e9lange ring, $6,000; Castro NYC Money Emerald brooch, $50,000; Available for immediate purchase at Sotheby\u2019s NY from September 17 to 26, or through Sotheby\u2019s Buy Now marketplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

BY SHELTON BOYD-GRIFFITH<\/strong>
\nPHOTOGRAPHY BY SAHEER UMAR AND ASYA GORBACHEVA<\/strong><\/p>\n

To be young, gifted and black, oh what a lovely precious dream,\u201d croons the high priestess of soul, Nina Simone on her 1970 record, \u201cYoung, Gifted and Black.\u201d On that song, Nina was speaking to the beauty of the then \u201cBlack is beautiful,\u201d \u201cSay It Loud, I\u2019m Black and I\u2019m Proud\u201d cultural movement\u2014a cultural renaissance, you might say. Throughout history, Black creative communities have been banding together to collectively express themselves through the arts. See: the Harlem Renaissance, the \u201960s\/\u201970s Black counterculture movement, the emergence of hip-hop, and so on. According to some, today, we\u2019re currently in the midst of yet another renaissance as it pertains to Black creative prowess.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn Harlem [New York], there was a massive Renaissance, with Black artisans, singers, dancers, writers, poets, just creatives in general and I think we\u2019re having the same thing now with Black talent on a global scale. I think we\u2019re on the precipice of something extraordinary,\u201d luxury-commerce journalist Melanie Grant tells Grazia USA.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That something extraordinary well might be a wonderful new exhibition and accompanying auction showcasing the brilliance and\u00a0<\/span>beauty of jewelry by Black jewelers. This\u00a0<\/span>fall, Sotheby\u2019s presents \u201cBrillant & Black: A Jewelry Renaissance,\u201d a display of more than 60 dazzling pieces, featuring the work of 21 of the world\u2019s leading Black jewelry artisans. This selling exhibition, co-curated by Grant\u2014an acclaimed author and authority on jewelry\u00a0<\/span>(who literally wrote the book on high-end jewelry, Coveted: Art and Innovation in High Jewelry<\/em>)\u2014marks the first of its kind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole concept about the title and the history really talks about a Renaissance,\u201d says Grant. \u201cThe \u2018brilliant\u2019 is a reference to brilliance in diamonds while also referencing the brilliance that is Black talent.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Black artistry is having a\u2014very long overdue\u2014moment of shine, so this show is right on time. From Nia DaCosta\u2019s smash hit Candyman breaking box office records in August to Deana Lawson\u2019s historic Hugo Boss Prize show at the Guggenheim to Kerby Jean Raymond presenting on the official Haute Couture calendar this past season, the time for Black brilliance is now and Sotheby\u2019s Director of Jewelry Frank Everett couldn\u2019t agree more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the time,\u201d Everett tells Grazia USA<\/em>. \u201cI guess Sotheby\u2019s is really a little bit ahead, even though we shouldn\u2019t be considered ahead of the curve, because it\u2019s long overdue, but we\u2019re happy to be the first.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continues, \u201cSomeone should have done it a long time ago, but we\u2019re glad that we\u2019re finally doing it now.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Everett\u2019s co-curator, Grant, crafted the idea for this monumental show as her way to contribute to the collective unrest, protest, and social awakening in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen everything happened with George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement,\u00a0 <\/span>I think all of us felt a bit powerless,\u201d says Grant. \u201cI thought, What can I do with my tiny bit of power? What can I do to make a difference?<\/em> I\u2019ve got to do something; I can\u2019t just sit here and watch this.\u201d And so, she pitched the idea of a selling exhibition centering the past, present, and future of Black jewelry artisans to Everett. His answer was a resounding \u201cyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe said yes, honestly, within about 10 seconds\u2014I mean, there was no thought\u00a0<\/span>to it,\u201d says Everett. The result is a powerful comprehensive account of the history of Black artisans in the jewelry industry, a spotlight on major forces as well as emerging voices, and a marketplace for these brands to sell their work. This is a curatorial show, but at the same time it\u2019s an auction. \u201cWe [at Sotheby\u2019s] want these designers to sell jewelry,\u201d says Everett. \u201cWe want to really promote their brands and to promote their business.\u201d<\/p>\n

When choosing the featured designers, Grant set off to curate an eclectic group, ranging from different time periods and embodying various stylistic approaches: from gothic pieces to minimal abstractionist and brutalist. She chose designers who were at different levels in their respective careers, and jewelers with different connections and backgrounds within artisanal jewelry making.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s so different in this, everyone\u2019s got such a different sort of style,\u201d she explains. \u201cWe\u2019re really keen to show the individuality of people, to show there isn\u2019t one place\u00a0<\/span>that Black artistic endeavor stems from: It\u2019s multifaceted.\u201d<\/p>\n

I<\/span>ndeed, as a culture we don\u2019t tend to define and box in what \u201cwhite talent\u201d looks like. It\u2019s not monolithic. It\u2019s French, Italian, American; it\u2019s complex. Black talent should be granted the same richness of understanding.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose in a sense, this exhibition, is showing the complexity that Black culture has. It\u2019s not simply one note, it\u2019s incredibly nuanced,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The result of Grant\u2019s selection is an Avengers-level, all-star cast of Black talent both of yesterday, with the work of titans Art Smith and Winifred Mason Chenet, alongside contemporary designers: CASTRO NYC, ALMASIKA, Jacqueline Rabun, Lola Fenhirst, Rashid Johnson, Sheryl Jones Jewels, Ten Thousand Things, Thelma West, VANLELES, Winifred Mason, Harwell Godfrey, Johnny Nelson, Lorraine West, Melanie Eddy, Shola Branson, Jariet Oloy\u00e9, Maggi Simpkins, Marei Fine Jewellery, MATEO New York, and Matturi Fine Jewellery.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the title of the exhibition says it all,\u201d Lola Oladunjoye, founder of small-batch jewelry company Lola Fenhirst, tells Grazia USA<\/em>. \u201cHow often do you see these adjectives used together? \u2018Brilliant and Black\u2019 is about taking up space, having a voice, and being recognized for what we bring to the table.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Born and raised in London, Oladunjoye draws on her West African Yoruba heritage to craft striking, architectural pieces rooted in sustainably. Her Nigerian heritage takes form in the brand\u2019s captivating ring on display in the exhibition, the Sybil Ring. The hybrid, 18k yellow gold\/white gold ring, complete with brilliant-cut diamonds, takes inspiration from an ancient Greek tale while also nodding to her West African lineage through the integration of the bead\u2014a traditional West African tribal motif\u2014represented by the rounded scalloped forms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For Oladunjoye, like many of her \u201cBrilliant & Black\u201d contemporaries, this exhibit is a chance to expand her platforms, take a crack at the proverbial glass ceiling within the luxury sector, and contribute to something far greater than themselves. Much like Grant\u2019s initial spark for spearheading this show, Oladunjoye feels a sense of purpose in her participation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn my opinion, nothing happens in\u00a0<\/span>a vacuum. There\u2019s a continuum of social awareness at play and this show is a part of it,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from the gorgeous gems and brilliant diamonds on display, this exhibition is about visibility and equity at large. \u201cBlack jewelers are a force to be reckoned with and are here to stay,\u201d London-based artisan Jariet Oloy\u00e9 tells Grazia USA.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBrilliant & Black\u201d not only highlights the stories and craftsmanship of contemporary Black jewelers, but also tells the history of jewelry design in America itself. The show calls attention to the work of two prolific pioneers of American jewelry design whose pieces anchor the show: Art Smith and his mentor, Winifred Mason Chenet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sotheby\u2019s\"
Clockwise from left: Jacqueline Rabun Black Love Torque necklace, $39,750; Maggi Simpkins In Bloom ring, $1,000,000; Art Smith Brass necklace, $7,500; Thelma West Asscher 8 earrings, $150,000; ALMASIKA Universum bangle, $24,000; Winifred Mason Chenet cuff, $1,500; Rashid Johnson x LIZWORKS Gold Signet ring from \u201cAnxious Men,\u201d $10,000; MATTURI Fine Jewelry Nomoli Obelisk earrings, $47,562; VANLELES Out of Africa Stiletto earrings, $116,905; Lola Fenhirst Sybi lring, $8,904; Available for immediate purchase at Sotheby\u2019s NY from 17 \u2013 26 September, or through Sotheby\u2019s Buy Now marketplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mason Chenet and her mentee Smith\u00a0<\/span>are often left out of the conversation as it pertains to American contemporary jewelry\u2014something this exhibition aims to correct. Both came to prominence in the \u201940s and \u201950s, a time in which they were never given their just due. Speaking on Smith in particular, Grant says, \u201cI think he was one of the founding fathers of American contemporary jewelry design.\u201d She then goes on to say that Winifred Mason Chenet \u201cwas probably the first Black contemporary jewelry designer in America that we know about, who isn\u2019t talked about remotely enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the designers in the show come from different walks of life, different eras, and pull from various cultural points of reference, one commonality they all share is the influence their Black experience has on their work.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI am a Black woman and based on that alone I see the world through my own distinct lens,\u201d designer Maggi Simpkins tells Grazia USA<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI believe that my lived experience innately influences my aesthetic, the stories I tell and what I create.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her In Bloom ring, designed exclusively for the exhibition, is a rich 18k gold, pink diamond ring adorned with sapphires and rubies, which tells the story of \u201cmy sort of \u2018coming of age\u2019 as a designer, and allowing myself the permission to realize my greatness,\u201d she says. \u201cA permission to be unapologetically bold, a permission to bloom, blossom, expand, take up space, to step into my light.\u201d<\/p>\n

Designer Johnny Nelson, who\u2019s designed custom pieces for Pyer Moss\u2019s Collection 3, has three rings featured that all tell the story of Black America: a yellow-gold, red garnet ring adorned with the All The Power Fist; the LET FREEDOM RING, a gold Mount Rushmore-style four-finger ring; and (a personal fave) Her Freedom Ring, in the same four-finger style, which features the likenesses of civil rights leaders Harriet Tubman, Shirley Chisholm, Sojourner Truth, and Ida B. Wells.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe live in a diverse world, and we should have as many voices, styles, designs, and stories as possible that are told through jewelry design,\u201d Satta Matturi, founder of Matturi Fine Jewellery, tells Grazia USA<\/i>. The \u201cBrillant & Black\u201d cohorts\u2019 works represent a rich plethora of aesthetics: from the more classical, sculptural bespoke pieces of Ten Thousand Things to the powerful femininity of Thelma West\u2019s work and the more conceptual work of Castro NYC, who often takes his vivid dreams and twists them into fantastical creations using exotic materiality. That\u2019s not to overlook the geometrically focused works of Bermudian designer Melanie Eddy and the signature aesthetic of abstract lines and organic curves of Paris-based atelier ALMASIKA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With this exhibition, both the curators\u2014as well as the artists\u2014are collectively starting a dialogue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope this show brings more awareness of jewelry designers of color,\u201d designer Jacqueline Rabun tells Grazia USA<\/i>. \u201cBrillant & Black\u201d is game-changing. It rightfully places Black designers in the canon and highlights their brands on a major, global auction stage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSotheby\u2019s is a very important art and cultural institution, and we have a responsibility in the world, to advance underserved communities and to really think about the future, and we want to be part of that inclusive, equitable future,\u201d says Everett.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Grant adds, \u201cI just hope that everyone either comes to see it, stops by, or looks at it on social and actually feels the beauty and the meaning in these pieces.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, our gift, as a show, is to make you [the viewer] a part of our moment,\u201d she passionately continues. \u201cThat moment is now, with this moment in history as Black creatives, and we want other people to also be part of that. It\u2019s not just for us; it\u2019s for everyone! And so, I hope that everyone can kind of get on the Soul Train and come with us.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Grazia USA <\/i>asked each designer participating in the show to share their definitive thoughts by asking, \u201cBlack jewelry is \u2026 Fill in the blank.\u201d Their answers collectively showed the impact, significance, and importance of this show:<\/p>\n

Angie Marei<\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cBlack jewelry is no longer being kept in the shadows.\u201d<\/p>\n

ALMASIKA:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cBlack jewelry has always been here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melanie Eddy<\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cBlack jewelers are Vital.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thelma West<\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cBlack jewelry is adding even more spectacular colors to the world, on its way to reclaim its rightful place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacqueline Rabun:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cBlack jewelry is Beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lola Fenhirst:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cBlack jewelry is as diverse as the Black experience itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maggi Simpkins:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cBlack jewelry is essential; it is our ancestral birthright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny Nelson<\/a>:<\/strong> \u201cBlack Jewelry is legendary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBrillant & Black: A Jewlery Renaissance\u201d is on view and open to the public at Sotheby\u2019s New York galleries at 1334 York Avenue from September 17 to 26. All pieces in the show will be available for purchase, either in person, or directly through Sotheby\u2019s Buy Now online marketplace from September 17 to October 10, 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29107,"featured_media":35917,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[17,16],"yoast_head":"\nTimely Treasures - Grazia USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sotheby\u2019s presents \u201cBrillant & Black: A Jewelry Renaissance,\u2019 a selling exhibition celebrating the extraordinary skill, imagination and craftsmanship of Black jewelry designers across the African diaspora.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Timely Treasures\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sotheby\u2019s presents \u201cBrillant & Black: A Jewelry Renaissance,\u2019 a selling exhibition celebrating the extraordinary skill, imagination and craftsmanship of Black jewelry designers across the African diaspora.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Grazia USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-09-23T20:59:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2021\/09\/Web-Feature-Sothebys.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/\",\"name\":\"Timely Treasures - Grazia USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-09-23T20:50:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-09-23T20:59:08+00:00\",\"description\":\"Sotheby\u2019s presents \u201cBrillant & Black: A Jewelry Renaissance,\u2019 a selling exhibition celebrating the extraordinary skill, imagination and craftsmanship of Black jewelry designers across the African diaspora.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Timely Treasures\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\",\"name\":\"Grazia USA\",\"description\":\"Driving tastemakers in Fashion, Beauty and Culture\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Timely Treasures - Grazia USA","description":"Sotheby\u2019s presents \u201cBrillant & Black: A Jewelry Renaissance,\u2019 a selling exhibition celebrating the extraordinary skill, imagination and craftsmanship of Black jewelry designers across the African diaspora.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Timely Treasures","og_description":"Sotheby\u2019s presents \u201cBrillant & Black: A Jewelry Renaissance,\u2019 a selling exhibition celebrating the extraordinary skill, imagination and craftsmanship of Black jewelry designers across the African diaspora.","og_url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/","og_site_name":"Grazia USA","article_modified_time":"2021-09-23T20:59:08+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2021\/09\/Web-Feature-Sothebys.png","width":1024,"height":576,"type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/","name":"Timely Treasures - Grazia USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-09-23T20:50:29+00:00","dateModified":"2021-09-23T20:59:08+00:00","description":"Sotheby\u2019s presents \u201cBrillant & Black: A Jewelry Renaissance,\u2019 a selling exhibition celebrating the extraordinary skill, imagination and craftsmanship of Black jewelry designers across the African diaspora.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/timely-treasures-sothebys\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Timely Treasures"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/","name":"Grazia USA","description":"Driving tastemakers in Fashion, Beauty and Culture","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Grazia USA","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/35916"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29107"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}