Public invited to Radical Jewelry Makeover Exhibition at KU

LAWRENCE — A fall 2024 class project to repurpose unwanted jewelry into new pieces will culminate in an exhibition later this month at the University of Kansas.

Since 2007, Ethical Metalsmiths has facilitated semester-long projects around the world through the Radical Jewelry Makeover initiative. Metals and gemstones are often mined in some of the poorest countries, on sacred lands, and in disputed territories, resulting in significant costs to both human lives and the environment.

RJM: KU, led by Sunyoung Cheong, assistant professor of metalsmithing and jewelry, sought donations —and stories — from Lawrence and Topeka residents for the project. Participating students, along with regional artists from the Lawrence and Kansas City area, spent the semester collecting donations, sorting through them and creating new pieces of jewelry that honor their origins and the environment.

Many donations were from older residents and had sentimental value, Cheong said. Some pieces were vintage jewelry from the 1960s to ’70s, including a Charles Revson/Aldo Cipullo 18 karat gold-plated love bracelet.

“After Cartier released the love bracelet in 1968, Aldo Cipullo — who designed it — decided to make a more affordable version for mass marketing in collaboration with Charles Revson of Revlon Cosmetics. Students and I learned so much about historical jewelry and materials used then and how to identify materials for the first time,” Cheong said.

She said some students pushed themselves to create unique pieces, trying new techniques and processes and learning how to embrace imperfections and repurpose materials into something creative. Among them:

• Charlie Gelhausen created a skull pendant that used recycled silver and beads from donations. Gelhausen began with a CAD design, followed by 3D printing, casting and flocking on the backside.

• Soobeen Lee designed yellow earrings made from metal beads and wire. She disassembled the beads, powder-coated each one individually, then reassembled them using wire.
• Grace Billman's fake pearl necklace features pearls of various sizes and is finished with ribbons. 

“As a teacher, I have learned how important it is to make a positive impact on students, especially after collaborating with our community and nonprofit organizations like Ethical Metalsmith,” Cheong  said. “This was the first time my students and I worked on a project outside of school, and it was fascinating to see how the students challenged themselves and grew as artists.”

The Radical Jewelry Makeover Exhibition will take place Jan. 21-31 at the Edgar Heap of Birds Family Gallery in Chalmers Hall, with a closing reception and sale from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 30.

Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan 31.

Any leftover materials will be returned to Ethical Metalsmith after the show.