Objects of adorement inspired by our rural heritage
Inis Meain rings by Suzanne Rogers
November 18 2014
Seeing the work of Suzanne Rogers at the annual Glucksman Craft and Design Fair last week, I was reminded of the work of another Suzanne I had seen a few years ago when I worked on dubh – dialogues in black at the American Irish Historical Society in NYC. That was Suzanne Beautyman, whose wonderful brooches (entitled Opulent Boarders), in that exhibition, explored deteriorated architectural forms as objects of adornment and were inspired by fragments collected from a childhood home.
Suzanne Rogers’ work also looks at architectural forms from the past, however this time from the outdoors. Drawing on an intrinsic part of our cultural heritage, the Irish field gate, for inspiration, Rogers work explores these functional objects which have, in many instances, deteriorated with time and were often repaired using sections of other gates, bits of wood, branches, twine and chains.
Her collection, part found objects, steel and precious metals, was created for her MA in Design exhibition at the National College of Art and Design. Great to see another Irish designer creating a collection of art jewellery, which I hope will find an audience in Ireland as well as internationally.