This year's theme – QUIET / SILENCE – was not easy. It was not easy to capture it in a form, it did not suggest obvious solutions. And yet the challenge was taken up by as many as 137 female and male artists from 19 countries, who decided to tell the story of what most often escapes words. From the submitted works, the jury selected 44 pieces – subtle, moving, sometimes disturbing – which can currently be viewed at the post-competition exhibition in the Amber Museum in Gdańsk. Works not qualified for the competition were presented as part of the AMBERIF fair – one of the most important events in the jewellery industry in Poland.
Silence has many shades
For some, silence was a sanctuary. A space for breathing, a pause, a moment „in-between”. For others – tension, emptiness, the trace of something that had vanished. In the competition entries, one can find both delicacy and meditative calm, as well as the emotional weight of unsaid things.
Jewellery, though small in scale, proved to be an ideal medium for telling stories about silence. Close to the body, personal, almost secret – it allows one to speak in a whisper. Or not speak at all... The diversity of references and the depth of reflection mean that the exhibition cannot be viewed in a hurry. It requires attentiveness – precisely the same one that its theme encourages.
The laureates who speak „quietest”
The submitted works were evaluated by a jury consisting of: Agata Danielak-Kujda – designer and artist, professor at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław; Renata Adamowicz – museum curator, head of the Amber Museum; Paweł Kaczyński – artist, jewellery designer, master goldsmith; chair of the jury; Agata Nartowska – artist and designer, lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław; Monika Szpatowicz – promoter of contemporary jewellery, curator of AMBERIF fair competitions.
According to the jury, the essence of the theme was captured particularly aptly by:
Sita Falkena (Netherlands) – 1st Prize for the work „Silent Mind”
The awarded work is a mature, multidimensional and consistent interpretation of silence, read as an inner state – a space of ethical choice, self-awareness and responsibility for the relationship with another human being. The artist employs sparse formal means: simple, linear forms suspended on red and white cords. The compositional minimalism builds tension and focus, evoking silence as a consciously chosen reduction of excess. A fundamental element of the work is the hand-written sentences. The text – introduced in a subtle, intimate manner – does not impose an interpretation, but opens up a space for reflection. Silence is defined here as an act of a conscious attitude towards the world: as gentleness, restraint in reaction, maintenance of inner balance, attentiveness to others, and the jewellery becomes a carrier of an ethical stance, a personal manifesto, a kind of prayer, a mantra.
The jury commended the universal nature of the work’s message, which transcends cultural boundaries by appealing to shared values: empathy, inner peace and compassion. In the context of the modern world, overwhelmed by an excess of stimuli and tensions, the work’s message resonates particularly strongly and is highly topical. For these reasons, the jury unanimously decided to award this work the First Prize, as a piece that fully realises the aims of the competition and stands out for its artistic consistency, depth of interpretation and high formal quality.
Marta Hryc (Poland), winner of the 2nd Prize, tackled silence as an experience of absence in her work „Pustka”
The set of two brooches entitled „Void” consistently and movingly portrays silence as an experience of absence, loss, withdrawal and suspension. The compact forms with softly rounded contours resemble closed capsules or niches. Inside them lies a crumpled, dark matter – reminiscent of fabric, bed linen and a pillow, bearing the imprinted traces of a body, like a collapsed space, the trace of an absence, the materialisation of an inner vacuum. The contrast between the orderly, almost architectural frame and the organic, irregular interior builds tension between the external form and the internal state. Here, „Void” is neither a neutral silence nor peace, but a dense, heavy presence of absence – the silence after something or someone, a silence that fills rather than soothes. The closed composition and dark colour palette intensify the sense of isolation and, at the same time, intimacy.
The jury appreciated the coherence of the title and form, the power of the metaphor and the formal consistency of the work. The minimalism of means and restraint of expression lead here to a striking, emotionally intense message that fully corresponds to the idea of the competition.
Miriam Arentz (Germany) received 3rd Prize for „A Quiet Presence” – a subtle tale of presence that needs no declarations
The „Silent Presence” brooch is a subtle and poetic reference to the competition’s theme. We find silence in a mindful, unobtrusive presence. The square, geometric form with its distinct frame organises the composition, whilst the softly convex, reflective surface within the frame creates a sense of pulsation and concentrated energy. The delicate play of light on the metallic structure means that the object responds to movement and its surroundings. Here, silence is not an absence, but a discreet, palpable presence – something that exists between surface and depth, between light and shadow, which does not dominate but endures. The central bulge can be interpreted as a metaphor for inner focus, a breath, or a moment of stillness. The minimalist approach, precision of execution and deliberate handling of the material create a coherent, balanced message. The jury commended the clarity of the concept, the formal elegance and the ability to translate the abstract notion of silence into an economical yet evocative language of form.
The jury also awarded additional prizes and distinctions, which were received by:
Jacek Byczewski (Poland) for the work „Listen...”
The work „Listen”, in the form of an oval metal object resembling an egg, offers a concise and intelligent interpretation of the competition’s theme. Its smooth, compact form gives the impression of a monolith – a perfectly crafted whole, devoid of visible joints. The visual restraint and the dark, matt surface create a sense of focus and enclosure. It is only upon coming into contact with the object that its second dimension is revealed – when moved, it emits delicate, high-pitched, pleasing sounds, reminiscent of the ringing of small bells. The sound does not disturb the silence, but rather enhances it. The artist shows us that silence is not an absolute void, but a space for attentive listening – something that can only be discovered through gesture and concentration. The symbolism of the egg – a sign of beginning and hidden potential – reinforces the idea of an inner, invisible life.
The jury appreciated the mastery of execution, the surprising structural solution, and the poetic tension between silence and sound, which gives the work a multidimensional character.
Ruudt Peters (Netherlands) for „Silence Kluss / Hiljainen / Vaikne”
The set of brooches „SILENCE – Kluss / Hiljainen / Vaikne” is a personal and clear interpretation of the theme, referring to the experience of shelter and the need for withdrawal. The simple, compact forms bring to mind the concrete bunkers of the Atlantic Wall – places which, in the author's narrative, become a symbol of a private asylum, a space cut off from external noise and violence. The minimalist, austere form and subdued colour palette emphasise the idea of silence as protection and a boundary. The geometric repetition of the objects creates an impression of stability and durability, while at the same time suggesting isolation. The brooches function like small, personal bastions – when worn, they become a sign of the need for solitude and inner security. The jury appreciated the coherence of the concept, the formal consistency and the skilful combination of a personal memory with the universal experience of the modern world, in which silence can be the last refuge.
City of Gdańsk Award: Maria Fijałkowska (Poland) for the work „Nasłuch”
Crafted from silver and amber, the piece entitled „Listening” subtly and evocatively portrays silence as a state of focused attention, an act of listening intently to what is primal and enduring. The smooth silver form, reminiscent of a stethoscope’s bell, draws the eye to the amber – an organic, irregular mass. It is this that one listens to: the voice of nature, inscribed in the matter of history. The contrast between the precisely crafted metal and the irregular structure of the amber creates a tension between culture and nature, between silence and hidden sound. The title „listening” becomes a metaphor for a readiness to receive – not noise, but that which is quiet, barely perceptible.
The work stands out for its clear idea, high formal culture and conscious use of amber – a material strongly associated with Gdańsk. The jury appreciated the harmonious combination of the nobility of silver with organic matter and the ability to translate the idea of silence into a form that is both restrained and symbolically dense.
Distinction of the City of Gdańsk: Robin Deriaz (Switzerland) for the work „Smoczek”
„Smoczek” (The Dummy) interprets silence in a perverse yet clear way as a need for solace and calming down. The form, which alludes to a baby's dummy – an object used to soothe, to quiet crying and shouting – is transformed into a jewellery piece combining a symbolic function with elegant craftsmanship. The main element of the dummy is made of amber – it is this that symbolically „shuts the mouth”, interrupts the scream and restores silence. Embedded in a silver structure, it becomes a material sign of the gesture of quietening. The natural, warm, organic form contrasts with the precise, cool setting, emphasising the tension between the impulse and its restraint.
The jury appreciated the clarity of the metaphor, the slightly ironic yet reflective and affectionate character of the work, and the creative use of amber. The object combines high formal culture with a clear, communicative message.
Amber Experts Laboratory Award: Ingrid Berg (Sweden) for her work „Silence – Contained”
„Filled with silence” proposes an original interpretation of silence as a closed and consciously shaped state. The elongated, austere form of the work resembles a container or tool, inside which an amber stone has been embedded – the organic, luminous core of the composition. The contrast between the raw, almost industrial casing and the natural matter of the amber builds tension between control and that which is living and fragile. Silence here is not a void, but something real, „contained” and protected – a state of focus that can be stored, but also potentially disrupted. The pull-out element emphasises this ambiguity: the balance between safeguarding and interference.
The jury appreciated the distinct concept, the creative use of amber in a modern context, and the precision of execution. The work convincingly portrays silence as a value requiring protection and mindful preservation.
The following organisations also presented their own awards:
- Legnica Art Gallery: Lucie Popelka Houdková (Czechia) for the work „Deep”
- „Polski Jubiler” magazine: Wojciech Zalewski (Poland) for the work „SILENCE!... SOWN”.
The works complete a multidimensional portrait of contemporary sensibility. All of them showcase jewellery in a particularly sensual way, not only as decoration, but also as a form of expression – personal, often intimate, and sometimes even therapeutic. They speak of silence through gesture, material, and also the space in between.
Jewellery as an experience
The post-competition exhibition at the Amber Museum in Gdańsk is not just a review of competition entries. It is also an invitation – to slow down for a moment, to breathe, to listen. Not only to what is around us, but above all to what is within. Because perhaps silence is not the absence of sound. Perhaps it is the place where we truly begin to hear.
