925
What does it mean when the material value of a thing outweighs its value as an object? What about the artistry, its history, its craft or the emotional values attached to it?
In this project, we explore silver through forgotten objects, left behind to be meled down and recycled. Heirlooms, wedding rings, cutlery, tableware, coins and even teeth are melted, dissolved, and repurposed into standard forms. Inscribed names, silversmith adornments, artist signatures and historical dates are erased in the process of homogenisation and refining. These objects have one thing in common: their material makeup is more valuable than the thing itself.
How do we reconcile this fragile notion of value? How can a simple metallic ingot be more valuable than the same amount of metal intricately crafted in the 19th century as a teapot?
The answer lies somewhere in the notion of liquidity, or its ability to be bought/sold. Liquidity becomes a signaller of perceived value. “925” explores this fluidity of value through silver, its history, its uses, and the nuances that emerge today.
In this project, we explore silver through forgotten objects, left behind to be meled down and recycled. Heirlooms, wedding rings, cutlery, tableware, coins and even teeth are melted, dissolved, and repurposed into standard forms. Inscribed names, silversmith adornments, artist signatures and historical dates are erased in the process of homogenisation and refining. These objects have one thing in common: their material makeup is more valuable than the thing itself.
How do we reconcile this fragile notion of value? How can a simple metallic ingot be more valuable than the same amount of metal intricately crafted in the 19th century as a teapot?
The answer lies somewhere in the notion of liquidity, or its ability to be bought/sold. Liquidity becomes a signaller of perceived value. “925” explores this fluidity of value through silver, its history, its uses, and the nuances that emerge today.
925 - Silver Mirrors
In this series of mirrors, we return to the age-old technique of silver mirroring on glass. Silver objects due to be recycled are dissolved and purified, and the silver is then poured in liquid form onto glass. The liquid transforms in a matter of minutes into a thin layer of metallic silver, resulting in unique, organically shaped mirror.
Custom sizes and colours are possible, as every mirror is entirely unique and crafted by hand.
