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The Miami University Art Museum's new exhibit is all about luxury.
"Luxury, Consumption, and Excess," opened Jan. 21 and features jewelry, glass paperweights, sculptures and porcelain works. The exhibit is open to the public until July 10.
Robert Wicks, director of the Miami University Art Museum, and Cynthia Collins, curator of education, said the jewelry exhibit called "Adornment and Excess: Jewelry in the 21st Century" features more than 19 artists representing four different countries.
The featured artists transform unconventional recyclable materials such as cardboard, street signs, paper and crayons into pieces that attempt to reinvent the definition of luxury.
According to Collins, the collections challenge jewelry's typical representation of social status in society.
emiko oye's oversized, wearable necklaces made of LEGOs were one of Collin's favorite pieces since they reinterpret famous, historical pieces of jewelry.
"We are in essence turning luxury on its head," Wicks said.
Wicks said the pieces represent artists' responses to the issues of scarcity, ethical consumption, and economic status.
"This exhibit is about more than just jewelry," Collins said. "This exhibit instead causes people to question how and why we consume. "
Miami graduate Kimberlie Tatalick is featured in the exhibit with her collection of brooches and necklaces made of layered plastic.
One of the most intriguing pieces in the exhibit is a ring crafted with shredded dollar bills from the United States Department of Treasury that were discarded and used as raw materials for Kathy Buszkiewicz's jewelry.
"This is not like a traditional museum tour," Collins said. "It is instead an engaging conversation about bigger issues."
Collins said the exhibit is unique because every artist has a very particular style that engages museum visitors and forces them to ask questions.
Collins said the museum will feature other events surrounding the current jewelry exhibit including a performance in celebration of Earth Day by Gabriel Craig who will be making jewelry to give away at the Shriver Center.
According to Wicks, the exhibit addresses an important question for today's generations.
"How we are going to address consumption and the issue of scarcity," Wick said. "Jewelry is not just a commodity."
According to Wicks, one must realize that luxury and beauty can take on many different forms in a materialistic world.
