Pearls
During the summer of 2004, the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) contacted the Metals faculty about an exhibition they were planning, Pearls: A Natural History. The museum was eager to have our students make work incorporating pearls that could then be displayed at MPM during the exhibition. A new class was developed, “Reinterpreting Historical Jewelry,” and the museum donated pearls for the students’ use. The course, taught by Mary Pearse, introduced students to the historical, cultural and social significance of jewelry. Students examined how jewelry functioned in different cultures while specifically investigating the pearl’s symbolic function and its capacity to represent status, class, wealth and protection. Building on this knowledge base, students created work that explored the idea of the pearl conceptually and formally. The project was left open-ended so the students could set their own parameters and investigate ideas about the pearl. Some chose to invent new ways to set the pearl, while others created more traditional settings. A number of students were inspired by the pearl’s historical magical properties. Others sought to enhance or expose the natural beauty and elegance of these gems while simultaneously expanding the boundaries of jewelry and adornment. For more information on the exhibition, click here.