‘Supergraphic’ by Anita Crowther & Maria Natoli
Exhibition Dates: 8th to 22nd September, 2022.
Opening Night Event
Thursday 8th September, 2022
5pm – 7pm
e.g.etal contemporary jewellery gallery
150 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Join us and the artists for drinks and nibbles to celebrate the
opening of this exhibition. You can RSVP to events@egetal.com.au.
‘Supergraphic’ presents new precious collections by Anita Crowther & Maria Natoli, celebrating the beauty of Australian sapphires and reflecting the artists’ shared appreciation of vintage objects and aesthetics.
Having collaborated on exhibitions in the past (Replica Replica 2017 & Consequences 2019) ‘Supergraphic’ is a continuation of their ongoing conversations about, and explorations of their contemporary jewellery practices.
For this exhibition, both artists have been drawn to the graphic design styles of the late 60’s and 70’s, in particular the bold and iconic supergraphics of this era. Often spanning across walls, floors and ceilings this bright and bold imagery has become synonymous with the 70s. The artists translate these design ideas; clean, thick, bold lines coupled with soft edges and finishes, into modern and contemporary pieces. Both working with a spectrum of sapphires and luxe yellow gold, the pieces invoke a sense of the past, yet remain truly within their own signature styles.
Whilst these graphic styles are a theme present within Maria’s work already, for this collection she has also drawn inspiration from the 1970s interior, attempting to replicate textural fabrics such as velvet and barkcloth within the pieces, bringing a new softness and tactility to her work.
Anita’s lifelong love of lapidary led her to meet Kevin, a master factor, who in his 80’s is still passionate about faceting Australian sapphires. “He had a magnificent collection of gems that he had faceted over his lifetime, many of which he remembered finding. He even showed me some that he fondly remembered his mother finding while fossicking together when he was a child.”
The single stone rings feature sapphires faceted by Kevin. Anita selected these for their colours and interesting cuts.
“I wanted to create a series of rings with a graphic quality and a simplified design that outlined and emphasised the sapphires. The band and setting are integrated into one element, a continuous, bold line.”
