Adornment
Adornment
Adornment – Siobhan O’Hanlon
From the amulets of ancient times through to the ‘bling’ of the present day, the human practice of adornment transcends cultures and time. The wearing of jewellery has long embodied both ancient tradition and contemporary expressions of status and beauty.
My own fascination with jewellery evolved over time. I have never been a big wearer of jewellery except for a few sentimental pieces: one or two pairs of earrings that remind me of a time and place. My engagement and wedding rings are symbols of a promise; my necklace, an ode to my daughters. Through a seemingly unrelated interest in mythology, I became interested in symbolism – not in a mystical sense, but in terms of the thoughts and feelings these images evoke. It was the symbolism found in jewellery and what these adornments can represent that drew me to jewellery making.
Since ancient times, adornment has been an integral part of human culture. More than mere decoration, it has served as a symbol of power, wealth, and spirituality. The divine authority of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs was underscored by the opulence of gold neck pieces and brightly coloured lapis lazuli amulets, whilst Mesopotamian noblewomen demonstrated their prosperity with intricate beadwork and filigree. The women depicted on the ancient vessels in this exhibition are adorned with headbands, earrings and necklaces which suggest women of higher status who would have donned jewellery made from gold and precious gems.
Contemporary jewellery continues to embody these ancient ideals of wealth, status and sentiment while adapting to contemporary aesthetics and the norms of society. Jewellery is worn as a means of self-expression, personal identity and the preservation of cultural heritage. The hoops in the painting Eighteen at face value embody a coming-of-age sophistication. A more cultural perspective reminds us of the rich history of the style from the ancient Sumerians to the Greeks and Romans, through Africa and into Latin America and the Caribbean, where a single hoop was often worn as a protective amulet. The style with which something is worn also evokes a mood or disposition: the sleek hair and choker worn by the woman in black in the Untitled painting creates a serious mood, conjuring feelings of solemnity and possibly mourning. The loose necklace worn by Mrs Huff Johnston in Fred Leist’s painting provides a relaxed tone that starkly contrasts with the white dress worn, while the large diamonds on her hand and earlobes deliver a touch of glamour that elevates the tone and gives a subtle hint at a higher level of wealth.
Jewellery has had a significant role in rituals and ceremonies since the earliest civilisations. From the jewellery buried with the ancients accompanying them to the afterlife to the elaborate golden jewellery seen in Indian weddings and the jade pendants worn for good luck in Chinese New Year celebrations, jewellery becomes infused with cultural meaning and spiritual significance. Symbols embedded in the jewellery we wear not only make them pieces of wearable art, but signify intention. For example, the Lunula (crescent moon – a popular feature of modern jewellery), was worn as a protective amulet by ancient Roman girls, while the Celtic claddagh ring (a crowned heart held up by two hands) represents a promise to a loved one.
In my experience, when someone chooses to buy or wear a piece of jewellery, they often connect with the story of that piece as much as the aesthetics of it. A customer recently purchased a necklace after reading my explanation of the symbolism I used to represent new motherhood. Another found their own meaning in a piece that, to me, represented the orbit of the planets through our solar system.
As a scientist, I was drawn to jewellery making by the chemistry of it – the methodical nature of heating and cooling metals to make them flexible for working, then strong for wear. I loved that if I made a mistake, I could melt the metal down and reuse it. Without realising it, I was engaging in an ancient practice, which – aside from some more modern tools to work with – has largely remained unchanged for thousands of years. That I was using the same techniques as the smiths of old somehow created a feeling of connection between my little workshop, the pendant I was hammering away at, and those ancient makers.
This timelessness and connection are things that have long excited me about jewellery. The metals worn by the women depicted in the ancient urns and contemporary paintings of this exhibition have their origins in the same – even more timeless – place. The astronomer, Carl Sagan, famously said “We are made of star stuff,” and so is the world around us. Metals like the copper, silver and gold in our jewellery trace their elemental genesis to the heart of stars. The atoms of these elements were forged in the intense heat and pressure of exploding stars, scattering across space to eventually coalesce into our planet. The metals we mine have been in existence since time immemorial, a link that imbues them with a timeless allure, and gives jewellery a symbolism beyond beauty and prosperity. It gives a literal connection to the universe itself – a reminder of our shared origins through time amidst the vastness of space.
The art of adornment transcends mere decoration, it holds deep social, cultural and personal significance. From the lavishness of ancient civilisations to more contemporary expressions of identity and style, jewellery continues to enchant and inspire us, reflecting the enduring human desire for meaning, beauty and connection.
Siobhan O’Hanlon is a silversmith living and creating on Anaiwan Land – Armidale, NSW. Wherever possible she uses recycled and sustainably sourced metals and stones. O’Hanlon tends not to begin with designs, but finds stone she loves, or something in nature that inspires her, and tinkers away until a design appears.
Before moving to Armidale, O’Hanlon was a researcher in wildlife biology. This work took her to some incredible places, and she spent many hours in remote regions of Australia exploring and pondering the shapes, textures and patterns of the natural world whilst waiting for animals to appear! It was the fine details that first inspired her to make jewellery – to turn these beautiful forms into wearable art. O’Hanlon continues to be inspired by the natural world around her, from the minuscule to universal scale, blending natural forms and subtle symbolism to create her jewellery.
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