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The Bishopsland Connection

Exhibition of Silver and Jewellery by Contemporary Craftsmen
Wednesday 4 June - Sunday 31 August 2003

Silver Sparks: The Bishopsland Connection is a provocative exhibition of contemporary silver and jewellery made by past and present students of the Bishopsland Workshops, Oxfordshire, and by makers patronised by the P & O Makower Trust. Illustrating the vitality of British silversmithing today, the exhibition comprises 47 pieces and demonstrates that this centuries-old craft is still very much alive. The exhibition is supported by the Arts Council and The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.

Jubilee Bowl by Jane Short, loaned by the Weavers' Company, London

Ten years ago Penelope and Oliver Makower set up the Bishopsland Workshops, now the Bishopsland Educational Trust, to provide a one-year course with workshop space and support for talented young silversmiths and jewellers who have just graduated from art college. At a time when apprenticeships are difficult to obtain, many find starting out on their own daunting. At Bishopsland they can not only hone their metalworking skills but also learn such business essentials as marketing, presentation and bookkeeping. The Bishopsland Workshops have been described as "the Sandhurst for Silversmiths".

Phoenix, an automated sculpture in steel, brass and copper, by Bryony Knox

Silver Sparks, which celebrates Bishopsland's tenth anniversary, will be in three sections: work by eight current students; the work of 25 former students; while the third section is devoted to works by such makers as Rod Kelly, Jane Short and Hiroshi Suzuki who have all executed commissions for the P & O Makower Trust. All the pieces in the exhibition reflect the work of the Bishopsland Educational Trust and the P & O Makower Trust, both of which focus on contemporary silver and jewellery.

As part of this Silver Sparks project, the current students have visited the Gilbert Collection and some exhibits were inspired by works in the historic collection or its surroundings: the architecture of Somerset House, the river below or the London Eye beyond. Each finished piece will be accompanied by the original drawings, photographs and models, thus offering an insight into the creative process. In addition, a special display at the beginning of the exhibition will demonstrate the art of raising a flat round disc to a graceful bowl in six stages.

Finger Bowl, by Pete Musson, from New College, Oxford

The pieces loaned by museums and private collections illustrate the variety and excellence of the work created by silversmiths and jewellers who have benefited from Bishopsland. The exhibition, which is coordinated by Philippa Glanville, Consultant Curator to the Gilbert Collection, and Dr Helen Clifford, freelance curator, presents contemporary design and technique in the context of the Gilbert Collection. Silver Sparks will not only celebrate Bishopsland's tenth anniversary but also emphasise the importance of its function as a bridge between gaining a degree in silversmithing and jewellery-making and the ability to earn a living. These joyful pieces made by contemporary craftsmen and women, set alongside masterpieces by the great silversmiths of the past, will encourage visitors not only to purchase but also commission.

There will be a good selection of work for sale at the Gilbert Collection shop, and contact details for all the participating artist-designers will be available during the exhibition.

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