the brooch unpinned: the goldsmiths’ company collection 1961–2020 | 12 April - 20 August 2021

‘the brooch unpinned’, exhibition and online events programme, celebrates the art of the brooch. this unique exhibition brings together over twenty extraordinary brooches from the goldsmiths’ company collection by some of the leading names in british jewellery design.

'the brooch unpinned', exhibition and online events programme, celebrates the art of the brooch. it explores a selection of british brooches from the goldsmiths' company's unique jewellery collection, tracing the evolution of contemporary design in this most wearable and revealing of accessories.

this unique exhibition brings together over twenty extraordinary brooches from the goldsmiths' company collection by some of the leading names in british jewellery design, including john donald, mary kessell, andrew grima, ute decker, wendy ramshaw, david watkins, daphne krinos, jo hayes ward and jacqueline ryan.

the exhibition includes

rolling waves in moonlight #3 - sculptural brooch

the first piece in Fairtrade Gold in the goldsmiths' company collection

the goldsmiths' company curatorial team in partnership with the goldsmiths' centre will also be unpinning the secrets behind the brooch form through a curated programme of online talks.

goldsmiths' centre is open from 9am to 5pm.

free admission

The Goldsmiths' Centre
42 Britton Street
London EC1M 5AD

goldsmiths' centre

Recorded online talks (no longer available)

i can highly recommend two recordings of earlier lectures:

experiments in form: the brooch unpinned with dr dora thornton

dr dora thornton is curator of the goldsmiths' company collection. she publishes widely on renaissance to contemporary applied arts and the history of collecting.

https://www.goldsmiths-centre.org/news/brooch-unpinned-boasting-out-beauty-in/

the brooch: a versatile jewel with rachel church

in this recorded talk, rachel church explores how brooches have been used since the middle ages as beautiful dress accessories, tiny pieces of art, or canvases to send a message about politics or identity.

rachel church has written and lectured widely on jewellery history and design. she is the author of 'rings' (v&a/ thames and hudson 2011 and 2017) and 'brooches and badges' (v&a/ thames and hudson 2019). she has worked as a curator at the victoria and albert museum and was part of the team which redeveloped the william and judith bollinger jewellery gallery.

https://www.goldsmiths-centre.org/learn-and-upskill/resources/knowledge-brooch-versatile-jewel-rachel-church/

upcoming talks

please visit goldsmiths' centre, to book one of many interesting upcoming online talks accompanying this exhibition, including the not to be missed talk by

helen drutt on brooches, contemporary jewellery and collecting

23 jun 2021 · 5:00pm - 6:00pm

helen drutt is renowned worldwide for her significant contributions to the advancement of modern and contemporary craft. she is a deeply committed author, gallerist, educator, consultant, and collector has helped shape our knowledge of the field in innumerable ways.

join us as she shares her experiences of the development of the international jewellery movement, and gives an illustrated talk about her relationship to brooches, contemporary jewellery and collecting.