This article was translated from the newspaper Eesti Ekspress’ coverage of Art Jewelry Forum’s visit to Tallinn in October, 2014. View the original article here.
Kadri Karro met with Susan Cummins, manager of the jewelry organization Art Jewelry Forum. She brought many influential art people to Estonia this fall from the other side of Atlantic Ocean. The purpose – to familiarise themselves with Estonian jewelry.
Approximately 20 American jewelry collectors were in Estonia last month. The trip was organized by the Art Jewelry Forum (AJF), which is an influential contemporary jewelry organization. The members of the organization visit every year an interesting jewelry-making location. The Art Jewelry Forum gives out stipends, publishes jewelry books, deals with critique issues and interviews important artists. In a series of AJF interviews were conducted interviews with three Estonian jewelry artists – Tanel Veenre, Kadri Mälk and Julia Maria Künnap. The AJF was established by Susan Cummins. She has been involved with the art world in different ways for over 30 years and is also an influential jewelry collector.
When did you first hear about Estonian jewelry art?
People who are involved in jewelry business gather yearly in Munich to participate in an exhibition called Schmuck. I met Tanel Veenre there about three or four years ago. It might have been the first time I met somebody from Estonia. Before – I had seen many books about Estonian jewelry making. I had also seen Kadri Mälk jewelry in books and I liked it very much. I heard that Kadri had organized interesting activities, an exhibition and a conference in an old manor house on an Estonian island which could be seen only during the night with faint light. It seemed so mystical and wonderfully crazy, that I wanted to contact Kadri. I decided to fly to Estonia and find her. So – I was in Estonia a year ago. Kadri was very kind and she introduced me to people who are involved in jewelry art in Estonia. I saw artwork of professor Kuldkepp and started understanding the characteristics of Estonian jewelry art and what makes it so special.
In your opinion, what makes Estonian jewelry art so special?
For me, it was very interesting to see how closely the Estonian jewelry art is related to nature and to life mysteries. These subjects are dealt in deep and serious, frequently humorous way. That is very touching for me. A touch of feeling, poetic feeling.
When you made your decision to visit Estonia as part of the Art Jewelry Forum next trip – how much did the Forum members know about Estonia?
Not very much. But they were very interested. We have travelled a lot together. And the AJF members like to visit artists in their homeland, to see the country of the artist, have feelings towards the country. And they buy local jewelry and cherish the memory of the visit. Our next trip is to Barcelona, then probably to New Zealand and Australia.
How did you become a jewelry collector? You don’t wear jewelry.
A piece of jewelry is an object. I like ideas that are involved with jewelry. But I was never comfortable wearing jewelry. I owned a gallery for long time and I also displayed jewelry there. I worked with the best American jewelry artists. And I continued communicating with them after I closed my gallery 12 years ago.
I established the Art Jewelry Forum in 1997. I was unable to manage it for long time, since I owned the gallery and it would have caused a conflict of interest. A couple of years after I had closed the gallery I was asked to manage the Forum and I accepted. That was approximately 8 years ago.
I like how jewelry artists think. I like their work. It’s interesting. But I am not interested in wearing their creations. My collection is in new (never used) condition and will be possibly part of a museum collection in the future.
Do you have any Estonian artists’ works in your jewelry collection?
Yes, I have several pieces of jewelry made by Kadri Mälk and Tanel Veenre. And a bracelet made by Julia Maria Künnap. And some other pieces of jewelry. My entire collection consists from smaller, different collections from a concrete country. I have a collection from New Zealand, I started collecting Estonian jewelry. Jewelry makers in New Zealand use many natural materials, like bones, stone and cherrystone. I like these materials. The same applies to Estonia – I like materials that are used by Estonian jewelry artists. Also, I like their ideas.
What is the difference between jewelry and art world?
Jewelry art is not organized as well as the art world. I consider it good. Our world is smaller, less expensive, less hyped up and less dictated by the market. If a collector sees a piece of jewelry, he/she has plenty of time to make a decision and ask questions before buying it. He/she doesn’t compete with anybody when buying it. The jewelry world is more human and more civilized and is based very much on passion and feelings.
ART JEWELRY FORUM
A not-for-profit organization, established in 1977 to promote contemporary art jewelry.
The organization offers through different programs funds to jewelry artists, supports exhibitions, publications and writers/reporters. AJF conducts jewelry art discussions on their website, blog, newsletter, publications and events.
The members of the Forum take annual trips to interesting and important locations in the jewelry world and familiarise themselves with local art and artists. Destination in 2014 was Sweden and Estonia.
Art Jewelry Forum is managed by Susan Cummins.
Please see www.artjewelryforum.org.
Photos (private collection, USA Embassy). COLLECTS JEWELRY BUT DOES NOT WEAR IT. An American jewelry collector and manager of the Art Jewelry Forum Susan Cummins and pieces of Estonian jewelry in her collection (upper 2 pieces of jewelry were made by Tanel Veenre, lower four pieces by Kadri Mälk).