This first comprehensive history of contemporary jewellery in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand tells the remarkable story of how two countries, far from the jewellery centres of Europe and North America, have managed to contribute to an international art form, transforming jewellery from an imitation of European taste into an original expression of place.
In this richly illustrated book, the authors bring together detailed analysis of objects and historical sources to show how contemporary jewellery offered a way to negotiate relationships between settler and indigenous cultures, to find beauty in humble materials, to appreciate the natural environment, and to test conventions of art, gender and identity.
