#6 Social Club Members Newsletter
Dear Social Club members,
After a short summer break, we’re back with another Members Newsletter! This edition not only spotlights our new monthly editorial features, but also offers a special insight into the Australian jewellery scene through a series of three interviews produced in collaboration with Radiant Pavilion. We’re excited to share conversations with artists Aphra Cheesman and an upcoming feature on Michaela Pegum and Lisa Waup.
Additionally, we have two exciting opportunities: an Open Call for Writers for 2025, focusing on language, and the annual Open Call for the GEMZ Talent Accelerator Programme.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
IT’S NOT RUBBISH, IT’S JEWELLERY
Interview with Aphra Cheesman.
A light switch, the head of a screw, a hole in the sofa, a keyboard: worn, unnoticed details of daily life. Is there beauty in something so mundane and ordinary? Aphra Cheesman, a contemporary jewellery artist from Naarm/Melbourne, explores such unexpected beauty by collecting objects and details from the daily habitat. ‘When an object becomes jewellery, it transforms from waste to ornament, elevating its value from something that would otherwise end up in the bin.’ Aphra’s work celebrates the quotidian, repair, and reuse, highlighting connections between people, environments, and objects.
Read the full interview here (Opens in a new window).
ARGENTINIAN TALES
Two part essay by Florencia Kobelt.
The field of contemporary Argentinian jewellery is a testament to the passion and dedication of its designers. Despite the challenges of limited resources, whether due to economic reasons or our geographical location in the southern hemisphere, Argentinian design is characterised by a profound reflection on materials and a constant drive for innovation. Writes art critic Florencia Kobelt in her two part essay examining the work of three jewellers María Eugenia Ramos, Lena Echelle and Gabriela Nirino.
Read the full essay here (Opens in a new window).
Read the second part of the essay here (Opens in a new window).
THE PERSON BEHIND THE PEARLS
Article by Charlotte Russell.
Across the stage, an army of ants begins to walk towards us. One by one, they trail across the top of a gym bench and scatter from the gaps and crevices of a school locker. The closer you look, the more you notice their lustre—each minute creature is cast from the same mould, delicately born from molten silver. Tripping and falling into a world where bugs and fairytale creatures are born from metal, enter the universe of jeweller and sculptor Ruby Taglight (she/her) and Elena Hoskyns-Abrahall (they/he). Whilst creating work that differs in subject matter and style, both makers share a similar sentimentality. By crafting squashy, dripping forms that celebrate imperfections and the shifting, ever-evolving movement of metal, both Taglight and Hoskyns-Abrahall are redefining our understanding of ‘precious’.
Read the full article here (Opens in a new window).
OPEN CALL FOR WRITERS
For the second time, Current Obsession is opening its digital publishing platform to writers worldwide, welcoming a diverse range of formats including essays, interviews, mini-series, and reviews on the topic of Language. Our focus is on intersectional writing that navigates the fields of art, design, jewellery, and craft. We’re eager to amplify voices that echo beauty, intricacy, and depth. Whether you’re a seasoned scribe or a budding writer, if you have a tale that intertwines with jewellery’s shimmer, we want to hear it!
Read more about the open call and submission process via this link (Opens in a new window).
GEM Z: Open Call
Talent Accelerator Programme by Current Obsession.
The third cycle of Current Obsession’s Talent Accelerator Programme is now open! While previous cycles focused on fostering relationships between young creatives, cultural institutions, and the industry, the GEMZ programme now emphasises building resilient, scalable, and sustainable individual practices or brands. If you are interested in reading more about the updated structure of the programme and application process, follow this link for more (Opens in a new window)!
As always, we would love to hear from you in case you have any membership related questions at veronika@current-obsession.com (Opens in a new window)!
