Slovenian Jewelry Week (SIJW) returned for its third edition in 2024, focusing on three key areas: the past (cultural heritage, craftsmanship), the present (sustainable and recycled materials), and the future (jewelry integrated with robotics, AI, and digitization).
The 2024 theme, SENSATIONS, explores how jewelry engages with our senses. Jewelry can evoke a range of sensations—from weight and texture to temperature and movement on the body—stirring emotions such as joy, confidence, or even discomfort and fear.
SIJW offered a rich array of exhibitions, workshops, and lectures, with events held across several key venues. The exhibitions at The ROG Centre in Ljubljana, Gallery DRAT in Izola, and the Corinthian Regional Museum in Slovenj Gradec showcased contemporary jewelry from global artists, bringing innovative design to audiences throughout Slovenia.
My participation
For Slovenia Jewelry Week, three pieces were selected, each uniquely employing stone-cutting techniques with marble waste from quarries, crystals, and wood. These creations evoke a myriad of sensations: the coolness of the stone, the warmth of the wood, and the distinct heft of each piece. They command attention, grounding you in the moment with their undeniable presence—a reminder in your hands that feels like indelible marks on a timeline. This collection, aptly named Evolution, symbolizes a journey through time. "Erosion" represents the solid, established past; "Ruins" reflects the unstable, cracked present; and "Skyscraper" imagines a visionary, tech-infused future. Together, they encapsulate an ongoing evolution.
You can find more about my experience in the Slovenia Jewelry Week by checking out the Highlights section of my Instagram.