SPOTLIGHT METAL ART
SOFA CHICAGO 2007: www.sofaexpo.com  
NOV. 2 – 4, FESTIVAL HALL, NAVY PIER
OPENING NIGHT MISE EN SCÈNE: NOV. 1

SOFA CHICAGO 2007, the 14th annual international exposition of Sculpture Objects & Functional Art, returns to Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, Nov. 2–4 to present masterworks bridging design and fine art from 100 international galleries and dealers and 18 countries.

Deganit Stern Schocken How Many Is One: Anomalies silver, stones. photo: Uri Gershuni & David Adika

Seven special exhibits from around the world are complimentary with SOFA admission. Of special interest may be Metalsmith magazine’s Exhibition in Print, Framing: The Art of Jewelry, an exhibition of international jewelry artists referencing the art of framing—from the construction of individual pieces to how they are displayed, presented and worn. The special exhibit is presented by the Society of North American Goldsmiths, and an accompanying Lecture Series presentation features Metalsmith magazine editor Suzanne Ramljak.

Graziano Visintin Brooch, 2006 18k gold, enamel, gold leaf The David Collection

SOFA CHICAGO’s Lecture Series features internationally renowned curators, scholars and artists in 31 presentations, and is widely considered the largest and most distinctive forum at an art fair dedicated to exploring both the works on display and worldwide trends in today’s art scene.  The Lecture Series, also complementary with admission, is especially strong in the area of metals this year. Offerings include Italian jewelry artist Graziano Visintin of the Padua school, discussing his use of geometrical and linear elements in gold to achieve an elegant purity of form in La Geometria dell'oro (Geometry in Gold).

Gerd Rothmann Grandchildren, 2006, Silver, Ornamentum

In The Space between Thumb and Forefinger, Dutch artist Gerd Rothmann lectures about his jewelry, bowls and vessels of silver, and the study of form. Presented by Art Jewelry Forum.

Tod Pardon Moman Brooch, 2007, sterling silver, 14k gold, pigment, glass, woods, simulated ivory, hematite, turquoise Aaron Faber Gallery

Jewelers Tod Pardon, Melissa Huff and Bernd Munsteiner discuss the forces which inform and drive their art in Process: Documented. Huff, of her singular enamel and electroforming work in the studio; Pardon, a video of the influences that inform his life and work; and Munsteiner, a short retrospective video of his decades as a third-generation gem cutter who chose to go his own way as an artist in a traditional industry.

Marjorie Schick RADIANT Necklace, 2006, Charon Kransen Arts

In Jewelry Without Bounds, artist Marjorie Schick traces her exploration of large-scaled jewelry and sculpture to wear, expanding the definition of jewelry. Presented by the Society of North American Goldsmiths.

Terhi Tolvanen Mossy Green necklace, 2007, Porcelain, textile, silver, steel Charon Kransen Arts

Dutch artists Tolvanen and Nijland discuss their individual approaches and shared interest in the relationship between nature and culture in Studio 206: The Jewelry of Terhi Tolvanen and Evert Nijland.

Anya Kivarkis Marcus Gunter sketch, c.1711, brooch, Fine and sterling silver, 14K Palladium white gold, enamel auto paint Sienna Galleries

Emerging Artists 2007, presented by the Society of North American Goldsmiths, features Anya Kivarkis, Sayumi Yokouchi and Susie Ganch, speaking about the development of their provocative jewelry. Kivarkis and Yokouchi received their MFA’s from SUNY New Paltz and Ganch received hers from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Visit www.sofaexpo.com for full information on Lecture Series and Special Exhibits as well as updated news on SOFA CHICAGO 2007and live reports from the show floor, including artist/dealer interviews and art sold.