Material question?

Last week, I experienced my last ever (unless I do an MA) formative assessment. For those of you outside of degree-world; that means half way assessment, except for this project, it was my second one.

I presented the work I had created for my goldsmiths, which obviously was made out of gold and silver; and then pieces I had created using nickel and brass. If I hadn't told them; they wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Now this poses two potential avenues for me-either bingo, I use base metals and keep my costs low. I reference material value by accessing the potential that people think they are made out of precious metals.

OR I stick with using precious metals. Apart from anything they are nicer to use; however I found myself attracted to another element. My conversations are discussing value. The value of that which is understated, that which is un-obvious. Now the others in my assessment couldn't differentiate because of the nickel and brass looking overly shiny and gold-and-silver-like; but because the precious metal had been treated in the same emotive (and in some ways rather brutal) way. This gave me some trickery to play with. Precious metals; especially gold come imbued with existing cultural contexts. When you tell someone 'gold', they think rich, royal, special, shining... not shed. By mindfully talking these cultural codes; and applying a sort of irony to them through design and process; my concept gains an addition layer. This conversation of values and distinctions talks of that which people may not necessarily realise they appreciate; through materials that culturally we are very aware of value-wise.

Having mulled this over rather extensively; I bit the bullet and spent £150 on silver sheet, ready for my next lot of designs to be made. And they are getting biiig, by the way!

925, 14ct and 18ct.

Nickel, brass and burnt pine.

925, 14ct and 18ct.

Nickel and brass.