Baltic amber is probably not very well known in Belgium. Where did the idea to use it come from?
Nele Blanckaert: Even as a little girl I was fascinated by my mum's amber necklace – she received it as a gift from dad, who used to travel to Poland on business. Amber has therefore always been in my mind – when my jeweller colleague Nico Delaide told me about the international competition PREZENTACJE 2018 being organised in Poland, I didn't hesitate for a second. The piece I entered into the competition, ‘Living on the edge’, is the result of my first ever struggles with amber in my life. It was also the first time I had the opportunity to create my own story – up until then I had been creating the jewellery stories of my clients. Amber led me along a unique path of creativity – I fell in love with its forms, its smell… And, as it turned out, it was a winning story.
Nico Delaide: It is true that amber is not currently popular in Belgium. And certainly not among the younger generation. I only discovered amber as an adult – my mother-in-law has an interesting amber necklace that she bought in the 1970s, when the stone was a little better known in our country than it is today. I found out about the PRESENTATIONS competition, whose leading theme last year was „Silver and amber”, from a colleague in the same line of work Alaina Roggemana – I instantly felt that it was just the thing for me. And I fell hook, line and sinker (laughs).
What were your first impressions of working with amber?
Nico: For me, the most surprising thing was that I could practically forget all the techniques I had learned over the last 40 years (laughs). I also realised that I am not working on something, but with something. And that I am not the only one who decides on the final form of the jewellery – amber does too! I also realised that I am not working with an ordinary stone, but with an exceptionally ancient one – being over 40 million years old. At the same time, this stone is still alive – I have the impression that it is even more alive than ever before. I quickly learned to respect amber – captivated by its touch, its smell, its sound…
Nele: I had the impression – or rather, I was certain of it – that I had to get a good feel for the amber in order to achieve what I intended. Some lumps were exceptionally delicate, so it was not uncommon for me to have to exercise enormous patience. This scent, these colour shades, this element of surprise after removing the outer layer made it all worthwhile. I quickly discovered that this living stone had become my true passion.
Did you create a new form of jewellery specifically for the amber, or did you put it into the existing ones that you created as jewellers?
Nico: With the exception of one or two pieces of jewellery conceived with amber in mind, I have created entirely new jewellery forms. Or rather, I didn’t create them – amber decides the final form. Always... It is amazing that when looking at the raw pieces, you never know what their interior hides... For me, amber is more than just a stone, it's a bit like... a human being. The amber jewellery I have created so far is the story of my life: both my masculine and feminine sides, my strength and weakness, my life and my mortality... Is there life after death? For me? For the resin that once dripped from a tree? For the insect trapped in it forever...? I could write a book about it...
Nele: I have created a completely different form and a brand new line. Amber offers entirely new possibilities – thanks to this inspiration, I have found myself in a completely new dimension of creation. My amber jewellery is an emanation of the need to bring order to a chaotic world. Organising my thoughts through the application of mathematical solutions gives me inner peace. This architectural jewellery reflects my vision of mastering the order of things.
Both of you are laureates of it competition PRESENTATIONS 2018. One of the prizes is an exhibition of your works at the Vistula Museum in Kazimierz Dolny – has anything changed in your thinking about amber over the year that has passed since the award-winning works were created?
Nico: Exhibiting my jewellery in the Kazimierz Museum strengthened my creative resolve to push certain boundaries – which is why I dared, among other things, to combine amber with porcelain.
Nele: The longer I work with amber, the more freedom I see in the possibilities for creation. And the more I appreciate it. I am drawn to something old that can be given a new form – for me, this has symbolic meaning. The exhibition at the Vistula Museum is a continuation of my work with Baltic amber so far – I wanted to show the vast potential that this stone holds, which I am continuing to discover. Depending on needs, it can be presented in a classic jewellery version, but also in a modern one. I opted for modern, architectural forms with clean lines. But this is not my final word yet...
Exhibition entitled „Nele Blanckaert – Nico Delaide. The Art of Jewellery”
27 July – 6 October 2019
Vistula Museum in Kazimierz Dolny, Museum of Goldsmithing Art Branch – Main Building, Rynek 19
Curator: Dorota Seweryn-Puchalska
