BAJ Podcast

Re-framing Waste

In a world full of objects, and as makers of objects, the agency of objects and materials is fascinating. Why do certain objects become valuable to us, and others not? Today sustainable making is a key consideration, and waste poses a real sustainability challenge. Are there opportunities in waste? Can we re-consider waste sensitively, incorporating it into our practices as tools, materials and actors?

A maker who has been fascinated with the temporality of materials is Katy Gillam-hull. A maker of objects and jewellery who reflects upon found and archival materials and objects and their capacity for encounter and for accumulating narrative through time. In this episode we talk about her views on waste, ponder materials and their stories, and delve into her practice, where waste is not wasted.

Urban Mining

When recycling silver and gold seems evident and has been around for decades, how can the practice be applied to other materials, what organisations and which individuals are already facilitating or exploring this approach, and what could we as artists, makers and designers change as part of our practices in order to become, and more importantly think like ‘Urban Miners’ re-valuing waste materials, critically reflecting on appropriation and being mindful of the longevity of our own work. In history, perhaps through necessity, re-use was common, and archaeologists have found many examples of ‘Urban Mining’ in history. As reflecting on the past can be insightful, Sofie is joined by archaeologist Dr Carlotta Gardner who has been investigating a range of archaeological materials including ceramics, metals, glass, and waste materials associated with these respective industries. They talk about her fascination for the subject, her career to date and her thoughts on Urban Mining.

Go with the Glow

Our senses are the filters to our universe. Jewellery, unlike other artforms, is often worn on the body, engaging most of our senses. Some jewellery designers explore the edges of our sensory exploration of the world, questioning what it is we can and cannot see, or feel - or enabling a beauty to be sensed only in certain conditions. A jewellery designer who aims to explore how the multi-sensory experience of wearing and viewing jewellery can be changed with the enhancement of light as an interactive medium is Wanshu Li. In this podcast episode we discuss how her work attempts to challenge the traditional way that people wear and interact with jewellery by exploring the relationship between materiality and sensory experiences, using traditional and digital techniques.

Urban Jewellery Thinking

When we think about jewellery, we think it generally is worn on the body. Can jewellery or adornment be created for non-human contexts? Jewellery artist and researcher Liesbet Bussche has been challenging scale, materials and perceptions. Her large city objects are clearly inspired by jewellery and aim to adorn the city. In this episode, we discuss the scale of jewellery and what it is like to work multidisciplinary. We discuss her fascination for the city and the archetypical form of jewellery, and how changing contexts can change perspectives.

Tracing Jewellery Stories

When we look at the profession of jewellery, we often review pieces of jewellery from the past to gain an insight into the application of techniques, the reasons jewellery pieces were commissioned and worn, and gain insights into trends and changes in style. Museums such as the V&A provide us with an opportunity to look at some of the most interesting pieces of jewellery in European history. To discuss what it is like to trace the stories of these jewellery pieces, I speak to the BAJ Associate Lecturer in Critical and Historical Studies, and previously curator at the V&A for 20 years, Rachel Church. Join us in a conversation about weird and wonderful jewellery stories, what it is like to work as a curator and much more.

Reversed Roles

To mark the 50th Episode of the BAJ Podcast, Sofie is joined by fellow Podcaster, broadcaster, author and editor Carol Woolton. In this episode, Carol as Co-Host, will find out a little more about the Sofie's research, fascination with jewellery and the ideas behind the BAJ podcast. They will discuss what topics they feel are important for the industry to engage with and what their plans are for both of their podcasts.

The physical reality of the virtual

When we speak about the digital world, we use words such as the cloud for data storage, and the metaverse for a virtual reality. But as Dr. Patricia Domingues aptly points out with her research and work, the very real physical realities to enable the use of digital tools, requiring increasingly more data, is very much 'real'. A research fellow at the Jewellery-Linking Bodies Department in the Gerrit Rietveld Academy Patricia investigates how artificial intelligence, metaverse worlds and digital structures frame the way humans think while drastically reshaping the way landscapes are handled. In this episode, we discuss her jewellery practice to date and the research she is currently working on. 

The Sustainable Touch

Jewellery Prime Time

In this episode, BAJ's Sofie Boons speaks with one of the voices behind the new BAJ BA Course, Hollie Paxton. We discuss her jewellery career to date, covering the work she does for TV big hits such as Netflix, the BBC and Apple TV, her personal collections, bespoke commissions and her vision for the course.

Artificial Intelligems

In this episode, BAJ's Sofie Boons speaks with the co-founders of the 'Artificial Intelligems' collective, Anneleen Swillen and Greg Scheirlinckx to discuss their work and research, the benefits and dangers of AI and the tools currently available and how AI can be used in relation to jewellery. Listen in to find out more about machine learning in a creative context and ponder our increasingly digital future.