Artist Research - Lisa Walker
When I first saw Lisa Walker’s work they didn’t appeal to me so much. After doing artist research on her practice, I developed a strong liking to her works especially in the materials that she chooses to use. The way she thinks about jewellery has challenged and changed my thoughts on what jewellery is, jewellery is so much more than making wearable objects from metal. Sometimes it’s the process itself rather than the end result that makes the work what it is. Walker’s approach to jewellery inspires me to look further than metal as a material. Perhaps I can use found materials or re-purpose materials of cultural significance such as red envelopes, rice bags, áo dài (vietnamese national garment), my hair.
Lisa Walker is an artist who pushes the boundaries of the traditional notions of jewellery making. She works with a wide array of unconventional materials and techniques that I find most inspiring. Her works evoke us to question what jewellery means, what can jewellery be? She first started learning traditional goldsmith techniques and from there started going through phases of discovering what it means to make jewellery. Her works explore the cultural functions of jewellery. She takes special interest in odd forms that don’t seem to make obvious sense in jewellery. Her practice emphasises experimentation, pushing boundaries and breaking new ground.
Lisa Walker, Necklace, 2016, fabric, stuffing, thread.
Lisa Walker, Brooch, 2007, horsehair, plastic, rubber, aluminium, polystyrene, silver, lacquer.
Lisa Walker, Necklace, 2006, thread, freshwater pearls, glue.
References
1. Gali, André, Hölscher, Petra, Henriksen, Hege, Vigeland-museet, and Museum Villa Stuck. Aftermath of Art Jewellery. Stuttgart: Arnoldsche Art Publishers, 2013.