How did the idea of Noovo emerged? What does “Noovo“ mean?
We thought it was really interesting to create a digital platform to support three of our passions: Contemporary Fashion, Photography and Art Jewellery giving the chance to promote established and upcoming international artists. We also try to publish special paper editions in order to spread the word about those authors and those areas from time to time. When we started with our project in 2005 we were based in Santiago de Compostela (Galicia) so we thought in a galician term “Novo” - which means “new”. We played adding another “o” to create a new name but with the same feeling.
What is the main aim of what you do?
Since the beginning our main aim has been to promote Contemporary Fashion, Photography and Art Jewellery giving exposure to the many of most relevant and innovative names from different perspectives, collaborating with some of the most renowned galleries, museums, institutions and events showing that kind of passion. Noovo is attempting to attract and support a vision of innovation and the future of young and established talent.
How big is "Noovo" team?
We are just three people: Charo González y Santeiro which is in charge of the Fashion and Art Jewellery department; Jorge Margolles in charge of Photography department and Paloma Margolles in charge of the Press department.
Being the Jewellery editor of Noovo, what is your background associated with jewellery?
I am a graduate of Fine Arts at the Facultat de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi, Barcelona. My first contact with the Art Jewellery was in 1996 through Beatriz Würsch, the owner of Forvm Ferlandina Gallery, and with Pilar Garrigosa, the owner of Magari gallery; both situated in Barcelona. They gave me the first impressions of what Art Jewellery means. Our relationship was really nice and unforgettable; then I investigated this extraordinary creative world by myself and introduced it as contemporary artistic discipline to my students at the private High School where I was Art teacher because I have always believed that children and young people must be able to learn about art jewellery at school and have access to excellent teaching throughout their artistic education.
Since Noovo foundation, I have never stopped studying and learning through out the stimulating works of all of these artists who we have worked with. I also curated all our Art Jewellery Special Paper Editions and Online Monographs.
Is there any designer, jeweller, artist, you appreciate a lot?
Every artist we had a pleasure to work with is special for me but I can name a few just to answer your question so I can say Ruudt Peters, Peter Skubic, Volker Atrops, Ramón Puig Cuyàs, Katja Prins, Castello Hansen, George Dobler, Benjamin Lignel, Peter Chang, Otto Künzli, Maria Rosa Franzin, Alexander Blank, Attai Chen, Karin Roy Andersson, Anton Cepka, Bernhard Schobinger, Karin Seufert, Seulgi Kwon, Karl Fritsch, Eun Mi Chun, Mirjam Hiller, Sophie Hanagarth, Barbara Uderzo, Artemis Valsamaki, Akiko Kurihara, Jaydan Moore, Junwon JUNG, Kiko Gianocca, Karen Pontoppidan, Suska Mackert, among many others.
What’s a typical day like for you?
I wake up early in the morning, get my big breakfast and then go for a walk or running, depends of the energy of that day. Then, I start with my emails and try to arrange all of them to put in our online edition. I get a lot of news and events that I think are worth to check at our website. I normally write in the afternoon for a regional newspaper which belongs to Spanish Group of Comunication Vocento, check again more emails, work on them and read news and articles relating to the field.
What is the most fascinating thing about jewellery for you?
To be honest, its spectacular impact as a global art form. Transcending its interdisciplinary artistic vision and perspective, Art Jewellery discovers new values and comunicative stimulus in direct connnection with the people. Most dreams die of starvation. Some of them come truth. As it is the case with the Art Jewellery. What started back in the 60´s of the 20th century by some artists- mostly in England, the Netherlands and the USA- who wished to envolve jewellery into something more experimental and artistic, going against the mass production and low cost reproduction of this kind of creations, it has become an artistic field with a specific own weight worldwide.
After a few decades of struggle to be considered as an authentic expression of art, Art Jewellery has achieved its dream: an international network in spectacular evolution which represents a sphere of advanced research and experimentation . Incident projects and ideas develop into an international exchange of high-impact in an era where social media and networking are building global communities and awareness around alternative beauty. There are different fairs and events presenting art jewellery; besides, the number of galleries for art jewellery is growing tremendously to join the international circuit in which diversity and unification remain tangible.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear “Jewellery Future“?
The option to appreciate art jewellery as a unique work of art that is not in the conventional circuit of Contemporary Art, I see it as small weareable sculptures full of innovative meanings, messages, concepts through unexpexted materials, techniques and forms in intimate and intriguing relation with the body - and don´t forget the exciting relationship between the artist, the wearer and the spectator.
I can imagine Art Jewellery as expression of Contemporary Art which all museums and galleries will be interested to feature on show, and collectors and people will want to have as each piece is a work of art that influences our lives. This impressive world will become stronger and stronger discovering treasures with the power of astonishing us incessantly.