San Diego Historical Society Museum
photo: John Hazeltine
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
619-232-6203
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/sdhs/mainpages/locate2.htm
Elegant Fantasy: The Jewelry of Arline Fisch
The work of internationally acclaimed artist
Arline Fisch will be the subject of the San Diego Historical Society's exhibition,
Elegant Fantasy: The Jewelry of Arline Fisch, February 11 through July 30,
2000. Though Ms. Fisch, a San Diego resident, has exhibited her work all
over the world, this exhibition will be the first to explore the full range
of jewelry designs and innovative techniques that have inspired her pioneering
work. (left: Arline Fisch, 1998, photo by Carol Sonstein)
Ms. Fisch's works are held by the San Diego Historical Society, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Vatican Museum in Rome, the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the American Craft Museum in New York, the National Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and other prominent institutions.
The
Smithsonian has recognized Ms. Fisch as one of America's most important
artists, and described her work as: "highly personal and inventive
in form, retaining an air of delicacy and femininity." In acquiring
Body Ornament as well as several other of her designs, the National
Museum of Art determined they were works by an artist: "recognized
as significant for the development of twentieth century American craft...Throughout
her career, Ms. Fisch has displayed a preference for dramatic rather than
discreet jewelry." (left: Arline Fisch, Bracelet and Glove
Arm Ornament, 1999, coated copper, fine silver, machine and hand knit,
photo by William Gullette)
Bob Witty, Executive Director of the Society, said, "We are always delighted when we can present the work of someone who is both a San Diegan and an internationally recognized artist, as is Arline Fisch. She has extraordinary talent as a jewelry artist."
Denny
Stone, the Society's Curator of Costumes and Textiles, said, "Ms. Fisch's
work explores the relationship between jewelry and the body. Her interest
in ornament for the entire human form has led to work that pushes the boundaries
between jewelry and dress. Her collars and body ornaments draw inspiration
from historic costume and the jewelry of other cultures. Her emphasis on
the human body manifests in work that engages the senses in subtle and profound
ways. The feel of the jewelry on the skin, the rustling sound it makes,
how it moves with the wearer, the play of colors and textures, even smell
are integral to her jewelry--part of it's wearable magic." (left:
Arline Fisch, Arethusa, pendant, photo by William Gullette)
With her seminal book Textile Techniques in Metal for
Jewelers, first published in 1975, Arline Fisch opened a genre to create forms that in her own
words "exalt the wearer." Working primarily in gold and silver,
her handcrafted designs have become a part of an international movement
that has revitalized jewelry as an art form. Most notable among her achievements
in jewelry design has been her integration of metal weaving techniques into
the discipline. Also referred to as metal-knitting, her groundbreaking methods
are now considered standard among contemporaries. (right: Arline
Fisch, The Devil Himself, pectoral, photo by William Gullette)
Named a "Living Treasure of California" by the
State Assembly in 1985, Ms. Fisch is recognized internationally as a leader in contemporary
jewelry design. A professor at San Diego State University since 1961 and
founder of that institution's jewelry program, she is the recipient of numerous
honors including four Fulbright Grants, four National Endowment for the
Arts Grants, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Museum of
Women in the Arts. Other professional honors include service as a trustee
on the American Craft Council since 1994 and president of the Society of
North American Goldsmiths from 1982 to 1985. (right: Arline Fisch,
English Garden, necklace, photo by William Gullette)
A 128-page color illustrated catalogue, published by Arnoldsche Art Publishers, will accompany the exhibition and features essays by David McFadden, Chief Curator of the American Craft Museum, Robert Bell, Curator of Craft and Design of the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Dr. Ida Katherine Rigby, professor at San Diego State University, and extended commentary by Ms. Fisch. The catalogue is available for purchase from the Society's Museum Store or via its website.
An extensive educational program will complement the exhibition,
including a lecture series scheduled on March 25, May 20, April 28, and June
16, 2000. The first three sessions will be led by Ms. Fisch and the final
by the Society's Curator of Costumes and Textiles. In addition, on the first
and third Sundays of each month, February through July; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
free workshops will be held in which children and adults can experiment
together in creating jewelry. The exhibition's educational component also
includes a free study guide offering insights into jewelry as an art form
and an entertaining children's guide teaching basic geometry through the
exploration of Ms. Fisch's designs and techniques. Please call the Society's
Education Department at 619-232-6203, ext. 149 for more information on the
ancillary programming and the scheduling of group tours. (left: Arline
Fisch, Gold Washed Leaves, necklace, photo by William Gullette)
Read more about the San Diego Historical Society Museum in Resource Library Magazine
rev. 12/27/10
Search Resource Library for thousands of articles and essays on American art.
Copyright 2010 Traditional Fine Arts Organization, Inc., an Arizona nonprofit corporation. All rights reserved.