Tag: jewelry

exhibition: The Gijs+Emmy spectacle – The Stedelijk Museum – Amsterdam (NL)

 

The Stedelijk Museum presents The Gijs+Emmy Spectacle

From 22 Feb to 24 Aug 2014

 “The Stedelijk Museum presents The Gijs+Emmy Spectacle, Fashion and Jewelry design by Gijs Bakker and Emmy van Leersum. The exhibition is based on a legendary fashion show presented by the artist duo Gijs Bakker (1942) and Emmy van Leersum (1930–1984) in 1967.”

Sonja Bakker with Large Collar by Gijs Bakker, 1967, from collection Stedelijk Museum, ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Photograph by Matthijs Schrofer. via

The perfect shapes inspired by the geometry of industrial plants intercept the human body and confine it increasing its beauty.

The exhibition has the shape of a retrospective and the vibes of the celebration of the bright past of the jewelry design.  As the fifty years of the fashion cycle are passing by, Gijs+Emmy work deserve to influence today’s industry and fashion design. The perfect shapes inspired by the geometry of industrial plants intercept the human body and confine it increasing its beauty. The posture of the model is forced by the pieces of metal.
Sonja Bakker with Stovepipe Collar and Stovepipe Bracelet by Gijs Bakker, 1967. Collar from collection Centraal Museum, Utrecht. Armband from collection Stedelijk Museum, ’s-Hertogenbosch. Photograph by Matthijs Schrofer. via
The stunning pictures of Matthijs Schrofer provide the necessary documentation of the connection between the model – in this case Sonja Bakker – and the unnatural collars and bracelets.
Scholderpiece by Gijs Bakker, 1967. Photograph by Rien Bazen. via

As the posture of models is modified, the acting is surreal and majestic.

The space suits are just weird, sexy in an alien way. – Focus on the picture on the background – The genitals of the models ar deformed by the metal wire in the suit and gain a pure and beautiful form. The natural junctions are replaced by the archetype of a robotic junction.

photo: Gert Jan van Rooij via

Forcing the concepts in contemporary categories, Gijs+Emmy work should inspire the new ( and not strange to us) relation with technology. Everyday products have to fit to shape restrictions (due to functionality) and don’t bend to usability criterion and as a result they tend to change us. Need an example? The posture of the model of the next generation inflatable helmet designed by Hövding  resembles the one of a Kayan Lahwi woman.