New UK jewellery brand POINT TWO FIVE invited six international artists and designers to create jewellery for the first time. Each piece in their launch collection is the result of close collaboration with skilled manufacturers and craftspeople based in and around Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter. Sebastian Bergne is part of this selection and designed two groups of objects, the Three Halves ring and bangle and the Disk rings. please click links for more detail.
The exhibition Off The Bench was part of the London Design Festival and included pieces by Theodora Alfredsdottir, Wendy Andreu, Sebastian Bergne, Daniel Eatock, Harry Grundy, Jamie Wolfond, and Studio 0.25. POINT TWO FIVE challenged each designer to utilise modern manufacturing techniques and recycled metals to create fairly-priced jewellery as an extension of their creative practice. The exhibition considers the Jewellery Quarter’s crucial role in central Birmingham’s industrial and cultural economy at a time of rapid urban development. The Jewellery Quarter produces 40% of all the jewellery made in the UK, however, the number of jewellers in the area is on the decline, and as it becomes an increasingly popular place to live, rents are rising. As well as worries about rising rents, there’s also concern not enough young people are moving into the industry, resulting in declining skills. As a brand based proudly in Birmingham, POINT TWO FIVE aims to play a small part in supporting the industry and amplifying the everyday stories of this unique square kilometre.
Off The Bench
September 14th – 21st
The Gallery Space, 98 Curtain Road,
London, EC2A 3AF