- Necklace
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Janna Syvänoja's jewelry emits a strong graphic quality as well as a fragility transmitted by its loose sculptural constructions. In this necklace, each slice of a book bears the same footprint, and when fanned out, the individual shapes are accentuated by their placement. The surface patterns on the piece—a common decorative device of Syvänoja's—are made by the printed words on the pages.
Syvänoja manipulates her materials without preparatory sketches to determine the composition. Instead, she prefers to experiment with structure and form. Drills, fretsaws, glue, and a sewing machine are the tools Syvänoja employs to achieve her desired effects. The purpose of her work is to comment on recycling and the ecological fragility of the environment. She has said that she wants "to continue the life span of material, to bring forth what had once existed, and to demonstrate new connections. My works are prolonged moments. They ask the viewer to see the beauty of everyday life and to accept the marks made by time."
ProvenanceThe artist; acquired by Helen Williams Drutt English, 1992; purchased by MFAH, 2002.
Exhibition History"Beyond Ornament: Contemporary Jewelry from the Helen Williams Drutt Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, March 6–June 27, 2004.
"Ornament as Art: Avant-Garde Jewelry from the Helen Williams Drutt Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, September 30, 2007–January 27, 2008; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, March 14–July 6, 2008; Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, August 16, 2008–January 4, 2009; Tacoma Art Museum, Washington, June 27–September 13, 2009.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
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