Earth Jewelry

Sugar and salt are nice for seasoning, but these raw materials offer more possibilities. During the project Made in Grunn: Feeding the Senses with Sugar and Salt of CBK Groningen (the Centre for Visual Arts in Groningen), experienced and starting designers are linked to the sugar and salt industry in Groningen. Which new products, concepts and applications are possible if you bring together designers and the salt and sugar industry? The pieces were exhibited during Dutch Design Week 2016.

Participating designers are: Atelier NL, Arne Hendriks, Karlijn Souren, Elise van Beurden, Karlijn Sibbel, Randy Jansen and Liza Verhoeven and myself.

Sugar is the source of life. The first primitive cell on earth consisted of protein, fat, water and sugars. A major source of energy, and contained in a simple form of genetic material – one of the key conditions for life. More than 60 percent of all life consists of fungi and bacteria, and the vast majority of these are living in soil. They perform many important processes that are essential for life. They break down dead organic matter, whereby nutrients are produced for plants. Other bacteria are responsible for cleaning the soil and contribute to good soil structure.  Earth Jewels showcases the soil life that is essential for a good harvest.

Schuimaarde is a calcareous fertiliser which is produced during the purification of raw juice from sugar beets. This fertiliser stimulates the pH-value, structure and micro-organisms in the soil. One gram of soil contains thousands of micro-organisms that get energy by digesting waste products of plants, and therefore deliver new nutrients.

The Arthrobacter Agilis (pink) and the Janthinobacterium Lividum (purple) are two common soil bacteria. Arthrobacter Agilis reduce heavy chemicals in contaminated soil. Janthinobacterium Lividum has a striking violet color caused by violacein. Violacein has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties.

Earth Jewellery is a tribute to the fertile soil that is so essential for our harvest. A living piece of jewellery that evokes the consciousness of life.”

For this project I collaborated with Groningen University – Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Metal turning by Mitchell Kester