Report by Olga Rogozina
In April, the Saint Petersburg cultural life experienced an exceptional event – an exhibition “Stone World”, traditionally devoted to the Day of Geologist. The organizers arranged various expositions, which presented different aspects of the world of minerals. Different mineralogical collections were presented here. The exposition centre of the Central Science and Research Geological Exploration Museum presented to visitors the history of the famous mosaic map “The USSR Industrialisation”, manufactured by Soviet craftsmen in 1937 and awarded Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1937 and the golden medal at the world exposition in New York in 1939. The exposition was timed to the restoration of the map, which was launched by the craftsmen of “Carskoselskaya yantarnaja masterskaya”.
Another exceptional exposition demonstrated to the visitors of the Manege that stone and wood can perfectly match each other in interiors as well as in jewellery articles. This is the exposition of jewellery articles manufactured from wood, stone and precious metals “Good Wood”.
There are many reasons for wood to be included into the category of valuable materials. They have such qualities as firmness and rarity, beauty and peculiar texture, plastic characteristics and an amusing natural spectrum of colours. All these qualities allow creating original and diverse forms from wood. It is not a coincidence that such tree types as wenge, oak and ebony are included into the category of valuable materials.
Jewellers long ago evaluated wood as a jewellery material and now they use various types of wood in jewellery articles. However, collections by several artists presented at one exposition are a rare phenomenon. “Good Wood” has become one of the first successful experiments in this field demonstrating the artistic attitude of various artists towards this material. One more important aspect is that this exposition presented works by artists who have worked with wood for a long time and by artists new to this material.
For example, Viktor Grachiov is a sculptor and an artist. He works with large forms and at the same time creates models for petite plastic art. The exhibition “Good Wood” was the first time he presented his experiments with wood – pendants, the laconic forms of which are highlighted by the texture of wood.
Enamel jewellery is Anna Terechenkova’s signature work. She uses refined nuances of the colour spectrum and graphics combining enamel with semi-precious stones. Her works with enamel have been awarded prizes more than once. In 2007, Anna became the winner of the festival “Hit of the Season”, which was organized by the exhibition association “Stone World”. Her jewellery with wooden elements demonstrated her original ideas. Delicate laser-cut wooden elements of her earrings perfectly match violet amethysts. Lace carvings and mysterious combination of dark oak and mysterious twinkling of the stone endow the jewellery articles with the spirit of Spanish baroque style.
Jewellers Nicolai and Melitina Balabin came from a Finnish town Lappeenranta. It is not their first participation in the exhibition “St. Petersburg Jeweller”, and they have been awarded main prizes in various jewellery competitions in Finland, Russia and other countries. The father and daughter duo seek their own original ways in the jewellery art, but their jewellery articles have one common feature. They are peculiar with their unpretentious yet bewitching reflection of the beauty of the northern nature, the subtle colours of which create harmony and exceptional mood. Referring to the Bible, Nicolai Balabin had created a breastpin “The Passion Tree”, where wood is the material and the main element of the composition. Melitina Balabin in her collection “Desert Paths” uses wood as the material which creates and intensifies all the necessary contrasts and rhythmic pattern of the composition.
Vladimir Shestakov has been experimenting with voluminous geometric forms for several years in a row. The majority of his articles are peculiar with their laconic forms and modest spectrum of colours. Ebony wood has become a successful component to the silver, pearls and nacre in his new collection “Sacral Geometry”.
Oleg Tichomirov presented the largest and diverse collection of jewellery articles from wood. His was the initiator of the exposition. Oleg is the graduate of the Academy of Forest Engineering. He worked as a restorer in the wooden sculpture restoration workshops of the Russian State Museum, where he learned various techniques with wood. In addition, he also attended drawing lessons at the Academy of Arts and underwent practical training at the Polytechnic University of Lahti (Finland). Oleg’s special education, open-mindedness and jewellery artists’ roots determined his interest in jewellery experiments with wood. As a painter works with colours, Oleg Tichomirov uses wood to create style, mood and images. In his collection “After an Image” Oleg exploits his experience in restoring wooden frameworks of icons. The peculiarly carved wood touched by light gilding strokes softens the provoking glitter of the precious stones. This combination turns the jewellery article into an invaluable antique artefact long forgotten in the grandmother’s chest and suddenly brought back to light.
The other collection, called “Pure Love”, is equally interesting. The author uses forms present in natural environment and such materials as tree, silver and pearls. This kind of the interpretation of pure love is the love of natural beauty shaped in jewellery forms. A couple of pendants in the form of a heart manufactured from wenge and rosewood are a perfect example of this idea.
