From Picasso to Koons

Miami

French curator and jewelry collector Diane Venet currently holds her exhibition From Picasso to Koons, The Artist as Jeweler presenting some 200 works by 135 artists. The exceptional and little-known works of wearable sculpture reward viewers with new insights into the creative wellsprings of such artistic giants as Andy Warhol, Georges Braque, Louise Bourgeois, Lucio Fontana, Salvador Dalí, Louise Nevelson, Man Ray, Anthony Caro, Yoko Ono and Anish Kapoor.

French Venet first became fascinated with artist-made jewelry when her-then-beau sculptor Bernar Venet rolled a thin piece of silver around her finger to form a wedding ring. Since then, she has acquired jewels made by her husband’s confreres, a group that has included Arman, César, Mimmo Rotella, and Villéglé, and she has commissioned pieces by Kader Attia, John Chamberlain, Wim Delvoye, Orlan, and Frank Stella. „I’m careful to ask only those artists whom I think will find the request challenging and fun,“ says Venet. „It’s important they recognize that the jewel should be seen as an extension of their art-making.“

While many of these wearable sculptures are crafted out of precious materials, what makes them so compelling is the beauty and candor of the artistic expression. Often conceived for a lover or a cherished family member or friend, a number of these pieces reveal a surprising tenderness or whimsy.

Diane Venet

Bass Museum of Art

March 15 – July 21, 2013
2100 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
USA

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