To Carry Pendant Necklace

24ct gold, waxed hemp, wool, hair, emu feathers, smokey quartz crystal (concealed).

This ‘open’ talisman has the potential to reflect the places we have been or are going; home, the journey and the destination. It contains a range of meaningful objects, with space for the wearer to place their own collected treasures inside. The idea of holding – memory, place, the object; along with the idea of carrying are central to the experiences of travel and the notion of the temporary homes we make for ourselves as we move through time and space. The pendant also reflects the actions of tying and packing which are part of the physical experience of travel. By using simple materials and labour intensive techniques that the artist has learned (and practiced) whilst traveling, Melinda Young creates a tangible connection with the physical time of travel.

This piece was created for the 2017 exhibition ‘Talismans for Travel’ as part of Radiant Pavilion