Vera Siemund’s work invites us to ponder a provocatively beautiful paradox — a precious balance between the historic continuum of the decorative arts and radically fresh ideas made manifest in expertly crafted jewelry.Siemund is a young avant-garde German artist who contemporizes classic forms and reminds us of the elegance of things past. Historic ornaments and classical references have long been the focus of her interest. She is interested in their associative power, and holds a deep appreciation for the richness, detail, beauty and workmanship of old jewelry. Yet she is quick to comment that “these do not belong to the world today. I often work with quotations from the 18/19th century. I pick out pieces which are already eclectic themselves…with roots in history and connections to the present.”

Recently Siemund was the featured artist in Metalsmith magazine where, noted art historian, Toni Greenbaum, commented, “Her work is exquisite, yet it exceeds mere surface appeal by also eloquently commenting on the past by juxtaposing selected motifs from classical antiquity, architecture, textiles, costume and botanical gardens.” The Art Jewelry Forum agrees and was honored to sponsor her presentation at SOFA NYC, 2004. Her work can be seen at Jeweler’s Werk Galerie, Washington DC and Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Contributed by AJF member Sally von Bargen