Unexpected Pleasures: The Art and Design of Contemporary Jewellery

The Design Museum's exhibition celebrates the work of contemporary jewellers who have challenged the conventions of jewellery design. The show examines what we value and regard as precious, bypassing traditional perceptions in favour of the radical experiments of jewellers from the 1970s onwards who, making use of new processes, questioned the relevance of precious materials and shifted the role of preciousness from financial value to personal association. Themes include 'Worn Out', which celebrates the experience of wearing jewellery, and 'Linking Links', which looks at the ways in which meaning and narratives are expressed in jewellery. Exhibitors include Wendy Ramshaw, who is known for her complex geometric designs, and Hans Stofer, who trained in precision engineering and produces intricate wire form jewellery.