Not all that glitters is gold - but is it therefore any less valuable? In a world overflowing with materials, why do we deem some as desirable, genuine, and useful, while others are dismissed as cheap, fake, and disposable? This exhibition, inspired by the themes investigated in Sofie Boons’ practice-based research on Neo-gemstones (often referred to as synthetics), the practice of urban mining, transmutational re-use and the social construct of value were centred to provoke.

When waste rubies can be grown in-situ in jewellery, garnets can be engineered to glow in the dark and diamonds can be mined from industry to bling things, shouldn’t we look beyond labels and rethink what we consider unvaluable? Positioning Sofie’s artistic outcomes in conversation with the work of students and starting artists of the Department of Gemstone and Jewellery TUAS, GABRIELE SPACE and KÜR Project, the exhibition invited viewers to inspect these objects as productive objections and expand their own material-realisations.

Floorplan

Dachauer Straße 54, 80335 Munich

Opening Celebration

Di/Tue 11.03.25 17H-21H

Opening
Hours

Mi/Wed – Sa/Sat 12.-15.03.25 11H-18H

TALKS

Talk by writer and academic Julia Wild, crystal grower Daniel Rytz and jewellery artist Sofie Boons: Sa/Sat 15.03.25 11H-12:30H

Partners & Participants

Sofie Boons completed her PhD titled
‘Neo-gemstones: an Alchemical Jeweller’s exploration of lab-grown crystals and related technologies, proposing innovations whilst challenging context, terminology, and underlying assumptions’.

From investigating urban mining practices, experimenting with unique glow in the dark gemstone materials, to growing DIY rubies in-situ in jewellery structures, her work provides a comprehensive insight into the multiplicitous approaches to neo-gemstones within a contemporary jewellery practice.

With GABRIELE SPACE, International Munich Art Lab (IMAL) has been offering space for artistic work, experimentation and exchange since 2020. They support young artists by providing them with workshops, studios, discussion and exhibition spaces free of charge. Here they can work together, support each other and network. They are creating open spaces and an artistic-cultural, social, district-related use of vacant industrial buildings in the form of interim uses.

For the exhibition, Sofie collaborated with GABRIELE SPACE and KÜR Project artists, who responded to the themes covered in her research:

Philomena MMücke Härdtlein

As a hanpoke tattoo artist I work with needle and skin - and a lot of disposable products. In this group of works I explore the individual stitches of a handpoke tattoo, materialised in pieces of jewellery made from expired and used needles that sting when worn. The pieces of jewellery in the second work group, made from used fake tattoo skin, speak of skin that, through the tension between real and fake, becomes an additional weight to be worn - and its implementations of perfection, colour, texture and transience.

ATAMAR

Helena Katzwinkel

Inspired by the legendary treasure „Rheingold“ my jewellery reflects on the demystification of nature by the industrialisation. The human focus on growth and greed is deforming our world into a seemingly controlled, rational place with no space for the untamed. Taking a step back, the river Rhein itself is co-creator through sound, water and material, helping me to create pieces that look more emerged than made.

kay leinas

My work explores both impermanence and change by giving old wine, champagne and beer glasses a new purpose. Tin is not only the basis of the rings, but also enables me to create organic forms such as fire, air and water, which are intended to capture the power of the elements. Each piece tells a story of transformation, decay and rebirth in an unexpected, wearable form.

The Department of Gemstone and Jewellery at the Trier University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) was founded in 1986 and has established itself as leader in the gemstone and jewellery education. The three courses on offer have an explicitly artistic approach and philosophy. Located in the gemstone city of Idar-Oberstein, the department is well connected with industry and a highly regarded organiser of exhibitions, seminars and residencies.

Diamonds, interesting for their societal status and assigned value, are useful for a range of manufacturing companies, who use the hardest material on the planet to produce a variety of tools serving a range of sectors, including the automotive and medical industries. In these contexts any material that does not, or no longer, meets the quality standards is classed as waste. This waste offers a unique opportunity for urban mining. Following the identification of a range of waste materials in two tooling companies, a Bling It workshop was devised in collaboration with Julia Wild from the University of Applied Sciences Trier/ Idar-Oberstein for nine Bachelor students, during which the participants could engage in an urban mining experience and incorporate the waste materials into their work. One of the companies (Effgen Lappaport) offered its electroplating facilities and expertise for use, if participants wished to apply the mined grit to found objects or designed structures. The results of the outcomes of the workshop will be on display.

TUAS Students represented: Chun Chang, Poras Dhakan, Ella Fu, Félicia Kocher, Gülçe Kulaç, Chidimma Omeke, Julia Plura, Helena Renner & Nadja Stefer.

Photography by Gina Muller

Speakers

Delving deeper into the concepts and practices of urban mining, neo-gemstones and crystal growth, we had a morning of inspiring talks at 11 AM, Saturday, 15 March 2025.

Daniel Rytz

Crystal grower
BREVALOR

Sofie Boons

Jewellery Artist, Researcher and Educator

Julia Wild

Writer and Academic
Trier University of Applied Sciences

Special thank you to Nina Aeberhard, Eveline Reinholz and Susanne Beck for the wonderful collaboration to set up the exhibition, talks & workshop. Thank you also to the speakers, and the TUAS team for the support. Thank you Aline Derya Yakaboylu for the graphic design of the poster, postcards and texts. Finally a big thank you to our sponsors: IMAL/GABRIELE SPACE and The University of the West of England.