Beauty In The Beast

Yesterday I went to a beautiful jewellery exhibition/display by Anna Tham in Oxford, she makes jewellery and objets d'art from things she finds and vintage jewellery.

The pieces themselves are stunning, really medieval and chunky and it was a joy to wonder around and examine the pieces.

The only thing I found dissatisfying was the complete lack of information. I found out about the exhibit when I was looking on a local What's On page; it was in The Vaults Cafe in town and when we got there there was no poster, no notices, no nothing to tell that there was something on. We spent 10 minutes wandering around the complex trying to find it until we went into the cafe to ask and saw the display cases on the wall.

I wanted to know more about the artist, where she came from, her ideas, what she had done before but apart from a couple of postcards firmly stuck to the wall there was nothing, no cards, leaflets, bio or even names to the pieces. I know bios and things are a pain to write out, I've done enough to know that but some information is important, you can't just pop things in a cabinet and leave them to do all the work.

NJ (Unverified), 04/08/11

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Anna Tham produces striking and original necklaces, bracelets and jewellery from recycled small decorative objects. She has a remarkable talent for balance, colour and design and the results have to be seen to be fully appreciated

Barry Taylor (Unverified), 29/07/11

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This is a most amazing display of animals, fitted into exquisite and original jewellery. Inspiration, a sense of fun and pure delight are the words that come immediately to mind. I highly recommend the exhibition.

Lisa (Unverified), 22/07/11

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The pieces here are constructed from the ephemera and paraphernalia of our society, most costing only a few pence in terms of materials, but whether they are made of precious metals and stones or from unvalued detritus, the imagery carries a grandeur, richness and power that is both magical and transforming. They celebrate both the wearer and the animal kingdom, and unite us in our respective inner lives and struggles within our common home on this beautiful planet.

This is a review of Anna's exhibition when it was put on by Bristol City Council in May 2011.

Richard Leachman - Artworlds (Unverified), 15/07/11

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Anna Tham rescues gems from the past, and gracefully places them in necklaces that contain beasts, large and small. The savage forces in our world and within man himself are contained, not tamed, held in a circling harmony of sparkling beauty. Here, lions and bees, lambs and tigers lie down together. This is a wholly original approach to jewellery, making the old new.
 
This review was first published on the poster by the Royal Photographic Society in Bath 2010 and in 2011 on the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's website ref Anna's Exhibition at Chelsea Gallery, Chelsea Old Town Hall.

Gerard Kilroy (Unverified), 14/07/11

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