CONTEMPORARY NEW ZEALAND JEWELLERY

Lisa Walker

Lisa Walker uses a vast range of materials and construction methods to create objects that consciously simmer with influences from all aspects of culture and life. The pieces are often laced with references to contemporary jewellery of the past forty years, as she questions and researches what jewellery means and what it could be.

The following quote by Kerianne Quick (Assistant Professor of Jewelry and Metalsmithing at San Diego State University) aptly sums up Lisa's practice:
"It is the physical manifestation of the mental and virtual baggage of living NOW. It is a stream of consciousness record of the whims and obsessions of an over-mediafied, production inundated, anxious global culture. If our collective subconscious brain could turn its pockets inside out, showing the world what we are really made of, it would look like Lisa’s work."

Lisa's work is in public and private collections across the globe. She has also been the recipient of a number of awards including, the prestigious Francoise van den Bosch Award and New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate Award

Knitting All Sewn Together, necklace, 2020 $3,000
Wool, stuffing, string

Necklace, 2016, Wood, lacquer, thread $3,670
"Dan Arps the NZ artist found this painted chicken on a farm gate and posted it on Instagram. The flames are from an element in one of the German painter Berthold Reiss’s paintings. I think a child painted the third piece. When I first finished this necklace four years ago I hated it, too childlike and colourful, at a time perhaps when my colours were getting darker. I never exhibited it and it’s only now I think it’s good. I saw a video by the musician Benee recently and her style, aesthetic, fashion reminded me of this necklace".

Necklace, 2019 $3,670
Merino wool, acrylic paint, stuffing

'Pendant 2018', wood, plastic, thread

More News From Nowhere, necklace, 2016, Gold (9ct), thread $2,500
"I initially saw a music video by Nick Cave called "More news from nowhere". He’s influenced by William Morris's book "News from Nowhere" published in 1890, however I didn't realise this at the time. I made associations with the overload and development of news entertainment. And now today four years after I made this necklace - fake news and conspiracy theories."
Earrings, 2016, Gold (9ct), fossilised shark teeth $1,500