Thuthuka Jewellery Closing Exhibit

On Saturday, March 7^th, I had the pleasure of attending the closing event for the Thuthuka Jewellery Development Programme, sponsored in part by Brown’s The Diamond Store.

The event was held at the lovely FADA Gallery at the University of Johannesburg’s Auckland campus this past Saturday.

It was a relaxing and inspiring morning and afternoon, with lovely speeches from Carola Ross, the founder and director of Thuthuka Jewellery Development Programme; and Brown’s The Diamond Store.

The Thuthuka Jewellery Design Awards is unique in that it is the only exhibition of its kind, solely focused on students’ jewellery in South Africa.

The challenge for this year’s students was to create a piece of jewelry that would be multifunctional: as a shoe embellishment and piece of jewelry/hair piece.

What we saw was truly creatively skilled pieces made by a new generation of nuanced contemporary designers.

 

The winning piece from Themba Mantshiyo, called “Multi-tasking” – inspired by his single mother who raised him – as an inspiration, a multi-tasker and whom he proudly states he could not have had this success without.

So impressed again with the variety of design, process and application of the challenge to all these amazing designers!

Take a look at these beautiful pieces!

Images courtesy of AurumEve and RBourraine.