Wearing jewellery brings hope. On the one hand, jewellery strengthens our psyche. It communicates our personal courage and supports us in taking a firm stance. We wear symbols in a way that gives us hope of overcoming our inner weaknesses. Through jewellery, we can also arm ourselves to be ready for crises that come from the outside and currently strongly influence and threaten our lives.
On the other hand, jewellery offers the opportunity to draw strength from outside. Through a worn symbol, which acts as a form of communication with others, it reinforces our hope that we are not alone. Made from a warm material such as amber, it supports us like an amulet – even in the face of health difficulties. It strengthens us despite our vulnerability and gives us the courage to overcome our fears. It is a ray of hope emanating from the personal sphere into the social and political. What does the jewellery look like that gives us hope today, strengthens us in times of crisis and helps us get through them?
Barbara Schmidt
The aim of the AMBERIF DESIGN AWARD International Amber Jewellery Design Competition is to promote amber as a medium of artistic expression. Over the past 26 editions, its implementation has resulted every year in a large number of participants, many of whom have tried their hand at least several editions. Information about amber and its artistic qualities has successfully reached even countries as distant as Mexico, India and Taiwan. Among them are renowned creators, artists and designers with recognisable names, as well as young designers – mostly students and graduates of art colleges and universities, for whom the competition is frequently an opportunity to make their debut. By presenting their artistic inspirations, craftsmanship and way of thinking about jewellery, they contribute to the continuous raising of the standard of amber jewellery design and its status among audiences worldwide. And, importantly, participation in this competition is frequently the beginning of a wonderful friendship with amber, which is given the chance to settle permanently in their studios.
The subject of the competition is a jewellery design in which amber plays a significant role. The organiser permits the use of natural amber only in the works, whereas participants have complete freedom regarding the choice of other materials. The competition is design-based – only digital visualisations in the form of a design created in any graphic technique are accepted: drawing, rendering or photographs of a finished prototype or model.
International jury
It is a tradition of the competition to invite artists, educators from prestigious universities, industry journalists and amber experts, as well as Polish designer jewellery makers and amber artisans to join the jury. This year, the panel will include:
Katharina Kielmann – author, curator and moderator associated with the University of Vienna, co-founder and co-moderator of contemporary jewellery talks as part of the Schmuckstammtisch Wien project;
Carina Shoshtary – German artist who creates emotional, imaginative and innovative jewellery from unusual materials, giving them a new lease of life, and a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich;
Sergiusz Kuchczyński – Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Design at the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts Łódź, also runs the Jewellery Studio; his creative work focuses mainly on clothing and jewellery,
Anders Ljungberg – professor of craft at Konstfack – Sweden's largest university of arts, crafts and design; in his/her work focuses on exploring utilitarian objects and the relationships we have with these objects.
When evaluating the entries, the jury will primarily consider the original interpretation of the theme, the artistic value of the designs, and the innovative use of amber. There are three prizes to be won: the Main Prize of the Mayor of the City of Gdańsk (PLN 10,000 gross) and two equivalent prizes: the Amber Prize of the International Amber Association (0.5 kg of amber) and the Silver Prize (1 kg of silver). The winning entries, as well as those qualified by the jury, will be presented at an exhibition during the AMBERIF 2024 Trade Fair in Gdańsk and published in a catalogue available on the amberif.pl website and in other promotional publications.
More information: Amberif Design Award 2023