Origins & Legacy of Art Jewellery in South Africa
Timed Online Auction, 6 - 22 October 2025
Legacy
About the SessionLegacy, showcases 16 contemporary practitioners whose work reflects the movement’s enduring spirit of experimentation. Like their predecessors, these art jewellers often work with non-precious materials, producing pieces that are expressive, sculptural and conceptually adventurous. Through these wearable artworks, the artists employ art jewellery as a critical medium to reflect upon, comment on, and challenge the world around them, exploring questions of identity, place, social standing, cultural practices, and political viewpoints.
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Notes
The work speaks to my identity as a Black South African Sesotho jeweller, commenting on how the fourth industrial revolution is being incorporated into my practice. Contemporary African jewellery designers appear to associate authentic jewellery with design specifications that are of European styles and manufactured using precious metals. I believe it’s important to use sources that are located in our own cultural context which inform our design and expand our understanding of indigenous knowledge around jewellery. Jewellery/adornment of any value has primarily been seen as being European because of the use of precious metals whilst the use of African jewellery/adornment such as beads, grass and other traditional regalia has been perceived as merely craft. The aim is for indigenous adornment to relate to contemporary jewellery techniques to maintain the significance of South African identities using technology of the fourth industrial revolution. Traditional Sesotho hats (Modianyewe) are traditionally made using grass. With them being printed, are they more valuable?
- Thato Radebe
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