Ko Néva "L'art est un sport de combat" translated= Art is a Combat Sport

Ko Néva is an annual collective exhibition of contemporary art in New Caledonia. Each year the theme is different. The chosen work is exhibited in the Tjibaou Cultural Arts Center. This year Nouméa is hosting the Pacific Games, a mini Olympics for the Oceanic region. Much public money is going towards building infastructures for the huge event that will go on for two weeks.
The title art is a combat sport gives the idea od how difficult life in Noumea is for an Artist. We are really on our own. Many people believe that too much money is spent on sport, and not near enough on culture and the arts. So several group art exhibitions this year are focusing on this theme. I took a different point of view. In a develpoing community, any public spending is welcome. Sport does involve a bigger public and does teach self respect and team work. I'm trying to be brief. I'm as much for sport as I am for culture. And I seriosly think that there is not enough of either in our community. So iIopted to display some of my thoughts with thrown away jewelry bits converted into a sport "icon". Today on an international level, sport is very removed from the personal level and taken to huge telecommmunicational heights. The sportsmen are stars and their lifestyles to be followed like the rich and famous. We don't talk about their training regimes but about their favorite brand of exspensive sunglasses. My Icon is a kitchy reflexion on that. And I'm extremly happy to have my work hanging in the Tjibaou Center!

METAL INCLINATIONS 2

Now this is really big news!
My Surplus Corn Lei was selected to be part of the international online exhibition
"METAL INCLINATIONS 2"
organized by The Society for Midwest Metalsmiths
check out the exhibition to see some really amazing contemporary jewelery!
http://smm-metalinclinations.org

HOMO RELIGIOSUS EST

I've got some catching up to do, so we'll start with July.
The local association Homo-Sphere organized another art exhibition this year to correspond with the international fight against homophobia day. This years title and theme was

HOMO RELIGIOSUS EST

I thought this was a very daring and provocative subject. I was raised as a Catholic, so I thought I would do some reserch into what the Catholic church really thinks about homosexuality. Interestingly, homosexuals are allowed into the church and can participate in the mass, as long as they are not participating in any homosexual physical activity. I thought that was kind of a difficult place for someone to be in. The funny thing is that all Catholics are supposed to be practising chastity. Sexual intercourse for the sole purpose of making new baby Catholics. And how many babies can a woman actually have, 10 or so max. That would be a long life trying not to think about sex. But then basically all religions function in the same way. The Islamic and Judaic doctrines are basically the same. Not sex just for fun, enjoyment, pleasure, destressing...

So my reaction to all of this information was to create a chastity belt. Luckily I'm not religious in any way or else I would definetly have to wear one of these things to keep me on the staight and narrow path.

Anyway, the expo was a success with a lot of student work and work from some of the young people in the homosphere association. Local discussion groups where also organized, to talk about the Christian faith's views on the subject.

Here are a few pieces from the show BIJOUX COMMEMORATIVE

Médaille en Chocolate by Fabrice Ballay

Géométrie Variable, quartz blanc, pierre volcanic, chrome de fer, inox, laiton, bronze
by AKA

Lamp Number One by Franck ChanSan
Aude Wetterwald

Priére d'une addiction by Anne Laure Lagabrielle

Vinyl revisited by Anne Afendikov

Bijou de Famille by Nhu Machu

This piece is for Henry by Shelley Cavanaugh

Sensory Souvenir Brooches by Lydie Gardet

Adolescence by Laurence Lagabrielle

The Twins by Angelique Nicol

The False Path To Yellow Gold by Kris Bourcier

Gallery 11 and 1/2

Here are two views of the show. I think it looks really great and very fresh and inovative for Nouméa. The table was made just for the show, and if fills the entire space. Everyone came through with thoughtful, touching, interesting, and well made pieces. A huge thanks to Franck for his beautiful work on the table.

Bravo and thanks to all the participating artists

Kristine Bourcier, Franck Chan San, Laurence Lagabrielle, Lydie Gardet, Dominique Berton, Aka, Anne Afendikov, Anne Laure Lagabrielle, Angelique Nicol, Fabrice Ballay, Nhu Machu, Aude Wetterwald, Shelley Cavanaugh, Jo D'hage

Bijoux Commémorative

Much time has passed since my last big jewelery happening. Lots of things going on, and lots of ideas running in many directions.
Since the start of 2009, I've been thinking of how to bring more great jewelery to my part of the Pacific. So this is it...
a group exposition on the theme of....
COMMEMORATIVE JEWELERY
Now this title or theme is to be taken in a very large sense. Commemorate anything, personal, impersonal, local, international, a historical event, real or imaginary, the past or the future.
And jewelery is a big word also to be taken in any way imaginable.
Play with these words, and create. In any material imaginable. I will probably be the only jeweler-metal smith involved, but many talented, creative people have already confirmed their spot in this event.
New Caledonia is a great place for artists. There is a lot of freedom to organize whatever you want. So, since my odd-ball addiction to amazing jewelery, wearable or not, commercial-more or less, or not at all, has not gone away after all these years, I'm trying to spread the word and the joy of jewelery.
The date for all this is April 2010. The place is a wonderful open minded and progressive gallery in downtown Nouméa called 11 et demi. (eleven and one half)
There is still space open for any person who feels inspired by this call. Please contact me.

Judge Not

In June I participated in the group exhibition

Métissons- nous, mais tissons nos differences

translation- Let's all mix together, but let's weave together our differences.

36 artists united against discrimination, be it towards people of mixed racial origins or sexual orientations. The only rule was to work with another artist(s), to share or ideas, techniques, and experiences. My collaborator was Laurence Lagabrielle, a Caledonian artist who draws, paints, illustrates books, and works with mixed media. Our idea was to evoke intolerance of "other" and his or her differences, be it physical, sexual, cultural. This other who sometimes unveils his or her strengths and power, or on the contrary, hides his pain and wounds. Often the walls put up between people serve only to self-protect from ones own weakness and fear.

Technically this was a first for me. I was using a new and very powerful torch and was having trouble controlling all the heat. Secondly, enamelling was and still is new to me, and I was discovering it's possibilities and limitations. Lastly, the fabric part was fun. My mother had shown me once how to make a chenille bedspread. I put that to use for the "skin".

This exhibition was on view in the Bernheim Library in Noumea, and will travel to the Northern Province and the Loyalty Islands later this year.

Pacific Ornaments

Pacific Ornaments was a joint exhibition of two artists; myself, Kristine Bourcier and Laurence Lagabrielle. The title gives some ideas about our motivation. We looked to body adornment in Pacific Cultures as inspiration. We also used the word pacific in the sense of non- violent, body protection.
For my part in this exposition, inspiration came from the island of Hawaii. I had recently discovered the Lei of Hawaii; not only the colorful, floral garlands, but also the leaf lei, and the more permanent lei of shell, bone, feather, seeds... Leis are very important in Hawaiian culture. they are prized "jewels" offered and worn at important family or civic occasions, as well to simply brighten the routine of daily life. The fragility of this delicate art form gives real importance to the moment of exchange between the giver and the wearer.
I wanted to make a lei, a maile lei, out of silver. To give my lei a sense of lightness and fragility, I used paper. After my first experiments with paper, glue, and metal, I was hooked. I've since done leaves, flowers, vegetables, and colorful rocks.
I am an artist-crafts person and have a firm belief in the importance of the handmade, whatever it might be, jewelry, clothing, house wares, food,... and especially gifts. Gift giving, for me, is more about the giving and exchanging of love and affection, rather than acquiring the latest fashionable consumer item.

C'est pas du luxe

In 2008 I organized, with the help of many talented people, the first contemporary art jewelery exhibition in New Caledonia. The title of the show was "C'est pas du luxe" and it took place at a great little gallery called Onze et Demi. The phrase "c'est pas du luxe" has two meanings. Literally it means - it is not a luxury. The second meaning is a play on words which means rather, it's a necessity. Example: C'est pas du luxe to buy new shoes if your old ones have holes in them. We used this term in two ways, first of all referencing the fact that in our jewelery exhibition many unconventional and non-precious materials where used, and secondly to put forward the idea that it was fine time that New Caledonia started thinking about contemporary art jewelery. We formed a group of eight artists from completely different backgrounds.

posted are a few examples of the work I did for this exhibition

Japanese river rocks and variations of...