BAJ Podcast

In this episode, BAJ's Sofie Boons speaks with the co-founders of the 'Artificial Intelligems' collective, Anneleen Swillen and Greg Scheirlinckx to discuss their work and research, the benefits and dangers of AI and the tools currently available and how AI can be used in relation to jewellery. Listen in to find out more about machine learning in a creative context and ponder our increasingly digital future.

In this episode, BAJ's Sofie Boons speaks with two members of the team behind the thought-provoking magazine 'Current Obsession'. With their magazine, and their first ever Jewellery Hub in the centre of Munich during Munich Jewellery Week, the team want to create a platform for jewellers to showcase broadly, discuss and most importantly re-connect following the Covid-19 Pandemic. Sofie speaks to them about their vision for the magazine and 'Current Obsession', the experience of taking centre stage in Munich Jewellery Week and what is next. If you did not have a chance to travel to Munich or catch up with the team at Current Obsession, listen in to a conversation recorded at the buzzing hub - it will be as if you are actually there!

In this episode, Sofie speaks with the curator selected for the Schmuck 2023 showcase in Munich. Having been an artist for over 50 years, and as an educator and curator of various exhibitions, Caroline Broadhead has a finger on the pulse of contemporary jewellery. We will discuss her selection for the exhibition, the key themes currently fascinating and challenging jewellers and her career in the medium and beyond.

Starting the New Year with a bang, we have invited Caroline Jackman, the Head of Craft Business skills at the Crafts Council to discuss her work for the Charity, their annual showcase Collect and the opportunities the council provides makers. We will cover tips and advice on how to get started and promote yourself in the craft world, and gain an insight into the importance of finding help and connecting with others to make progress.

With the second series of the BBC's popular jewellery competition 'All That Glitters' only recently crowning its second winner, Sofie catches up with our very own BAJ graduate Tianne Louise-Simmons. They discuss what it was like to take part in the show, and what Tianne has in store for the future, reflecting on the importance of her educational journey for her confidence, and what it was like to get started in the industry.

In this episode, Sofie speaks with Professor Ioannis Michaloudis about his research career investigating the application of the NASA-created material Aerogel in design, his creative work and his collaboration with Boucheron.

Following the discussion in the previous episode about the article by Loukia Richards, we meet with Loukia and her partner Christoph Ziegler to discuss their work for SMCK Magazine, SMCK on reel, how to get started with writing and of course, what Loukia aimed to achieve with her article titled 'Why does contemporary jewellery not take off?'.

Loukia Richards is a visual artist, curator, and co-publisher of SMCK Magazine. Along with her partner Christoph, she is the curator of SMCK On Reel - the first international video festival inspired by jewellery. The first edition of SMCK ON REEL was screened in Weltraum Gallery and Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein during Munich Schmuck week in July 2022. It is followed by SMCK ON REEL - Chain of Solidarity featuring Ukrainian and international jewellery artists working on the theme War & Peace. SMCK ON REEL - Chain of Solidarity takes place during important jewellery events and festivals in October 2022.

Christoph Ziegler studied visual arts at the University of the Arts in Berlin and the École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille. In 2015, after ten years of experience in the fields of sculpture, performance and installation, Ziegler started working with jewellery. Along with Loukia (duo name: ZLR Betriebsimperium), Ziegler has curated fifteen international group shows, many of which have received German state funding."

A special edition episode featuring the plenary speakers of the ACJ 'Beyond Silver' Conference Dr. Jivan Astfalck and Professor Theo Smeets. A discussion about the key themes of the conference, the field and the subject of jewellery. 

Dr. Jivan Astfalck is Professor of Jewellery Art and Design at Birmingham City University. Born in Berlin, where she trained as a goldsmith, she has been living in London for more than 30 years. She obtained her MA in the History and Theory of Modern Art at Chelsea College of Art and Design, and her PhD in Fine Art at the University of the Arts London.

Theo Smeets has been working since 1998 as Professor for jewellery at the University of Applied Sciences Trier at the Department of Gemstone and Jewellery in Idar-Oberstein. He has been Head of the Department since 2017. He studied gold- and silversmithing at Schoonhoven (1982-1986) and jewellery design at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy (1986-1992) in Amsterdam.

A special edition episode recorded during the conference 'Beyond Silver' of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery. A discussion on the theme of the conference, the impact of conferences, the state of play in the field, the major challenges and opportunities and where we go from here, featuring collector Linda Lambert, educator and jeweller Bridie Landon and Chair of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery Terry Hunt.

Terry Hunt is the Association for Contemporary Jewellery Chair. He is a designer-maker, and his practice has predominantly been concerned with exploration of surface pattern and colour using titanium and anodised aluminium. Most recently, this has grown to include larger sculptures in coloured plastics.

Bridie Lander is an experienced jewellery designer/maker and lecturer. Her personal research interests include issues of the handmade and the digital, intersections of art and design. She considers art jewellery as a medium, an interface of the virtual (interiority, the imaginary) and the real. 

Linda Lambert is director of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery. Until she retired, Linda Lambert was the Publisher for the Visual Arts at A&C Black Publishers (now part of Bloomsbury). During her time there, she established a number of Crafts lists, but notably the Jewellery list which included the Jewellery Handbooks series that continues today. Linda joined the ACJ when she first started looking into the field of jewellery.

A conversation with Anthony Wong, a director of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, on the association's 25th Anniversary events and the benefits and support for members.