Colour is the starting point for my latest works.
What does worn “colour” do? Does it have a meaning?

I think that colour is the first given you perceive and interpret; through experiencing colour you have an immediate, important notion of a thing. This first notion subsequently deepens and goes into nuance the longer you observe an object, but colour has the power to create moods/ atmospheres on the unconscious level.

Initially I wanted to have as less as possible influence on the forms, I sort of let them happen.
I have poured the colour in bigger and smaller puddles, and joined them to a necklace. It became quite a large object that covered a big portion of the torso; actually a kind of apron.
The given of a jewellery piece that flows out of it’s “normal” proportions in terms of size, and becomes an armour, a frontal protection, interested me.
Wearing a piece of jewellery (that in itself is a complex communication means), goes then in the direction of “work” en “protection”.

And so I returned actually to an old love of mine, the apron.
“Apron” implicates homeliness, everyday life, but also cruel deeds, and also protection. One commits kind and cruel deeds, the apron stands between you and your deeds. Your deeds don’t leave traces or stains on you, the apron carries them. At the same time of course, the question arises whether that’s true; What belongs to ones own person, and what one considers as the outside world; where lay the boundaries of the “inner” and the “outside”; where does one end and begins the other…

Parallel to that working- process I do an inquest into basic, evocative forms. Those simple, geometric forms function as an emblem when worn.
Maximal focus is set on those basic forms due to the fact that they are printed 3- dimensionally, in one single material and monochrome.
My research into the basic and evocative forms extended gradually also to my aprons and polyurethane jewellery, and influences their character significantly.

Ela Bauer
May 2012

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My present work, in which netting and binding through sewing plays a main role, primarily emerged from a need to connect particles I made (or - as I called them- cells) in order to create a form, a ‘body’.
These ‘cells’ and ‘roots’ were made of different materials such as silicone, porcelain, minerals and fabric.

While sewing I embody the process of development, step by step, creating paths, recognizing patterns and directions, reacting on them … creating realities, making some unplanned, improvised embroidery. At the same time I realize how an insignificant line can become substantial, meaningful in the total pattern that emerges.
The elements connected through sewing preserve their identity and at the same time they are part of a completely new form. The net forms a skin around them, hides or shows them, gives a shade of an atmosphere and a layered meaning.
The Act of Sewing symbolizes for me the eternal human attempt to create, protect, mend and reconstruct.

My work is to a big extent coloured with the notion that 'things' are not clearly defined. Events and things do not begin or end at a certain moment, but rather are a result of ongoing processes that often don't seem to have any connection with each other, yet are crucial in creating an 'event', a certain reality.
This notion in itself is of course nothing new, but for me this aspect of reality is very fascinating, puzzling, disturbing and comforting at the same time.
The organic, cell and tree - like forms, express my preoccupation with the fact that everything is in continuous process of change.
The processes of change in the organisms; growth, development, and disintegration, are in my view the ultimate metaphors for this feeling.

Ela Buaer
September 2010

Ela Bauer, 1960, Warsaw, Poland.

 Education: 
1982-1987 The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Comparative Literature, Indology.
1988-1989 Technical School, Jerusalem, Jewellery dept.
1990-1995 Rietveld Academy, Jewellery dept. Amsterdam, • Masterclass in the European Ceramic Center with Daniel Kruger, Den Bosch, the Netherlands, Jan 2005 

Collections:
Museum of Art & Design MAD, New York, USA | Grassi Museum, Leipzig, Germany | Pinakothek der Moderne, Dänner collection, München, Germany | Textile Museum, Tilburg, The Netherlands | Hiko Mizuno collection, Tokyo, Japan 

Exhibitions (Solo & Group Shows):
2012 OBJECT Rotterdam Rotterdam, The Netherlands | SOFA Palm Beach, Florida, USA | Presentation of gallery Ra at Schmuck exhibition, Munich, Germany | BIJOUX West Palm Beach, Norton Museum, Florida | Naturel | Artificiel galley Noel Guyomarc'h Montreal, Canada | Gallery Ra, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, solo | Inaugural exhibition Centre of Art and Design, Kielce, Poland
2010 Object Rotterdam, bij galerie RA. Las Palmas, Rotterdam, NL | FWQNWS Centro University for design and audiovisual media, Mexico City, Mexico | I Care A lot, Idar Oberstein, Germany | EUNIQUE, European design awards, Karlsruhe, Germany | SODAmore Summer gallery Soda, Istanbul, Turkey | I Care A lot, gallery Platina, Stockholm | The Plastic Show, gallery Velvet Da Vinci, San Francisco, California | I Care A lot, gallery Articula, Lisbon, Portugal | Gallery Reverso, Lisbon, Portugal | OP VOORRAAD Taiwan | OP VOORRAAD Antwerp, Belgium 
2009 Ugly Objects, Central Library Amsterdam, NL | Platina 10 Years! Gallery Platina, Stockholm, Sweden | Prix Européen des Arts Appliqués, Mons, Belg. | Dia de los Muertos, studio Zand, Appeldoorn, NL | Delfts Blauw, gallery Lous Martin, Delft, NL | SOFA Santa Fe USA | Horror Vacui, Galeria Bielak, Kraków, Poland | Frame; presentation of gallery Ra during Schmuck-days. Munich, Germany | Object Rotterdam, Las Palmas, Rotterdam, NL | Buttons & Imago: Badges to Fashion Historisch Museum Rotterdam | Horror Vacui, Manchester Craft & Design Centre, Manchester, UK
2008 First We Quake Now We Shake, gallery Beatrice Lang, Bern, | Verweile Augenblick! Du bist so schon,Vilnius, Lituania | Horror Vacui, Forum für Schmuck & Design, Bonn, Germany | Horror Vacui, Historisches Museum Hannover, Germany | The Pendant Show, gallery Velvet Da Vinci San Francisco, USA | SALE#4, Oude Kerk, Amsterdam, NL | Artitude, Kunstbanken art center, Hamar, Norway
2007 Radiant-30 jaar Ra, Stedelijk Museum Roermond, NL | First We Quake Now We Shake, BKV, Munich, Germany | Protect Childhood, Centre commercial La Praille, Geneva, Switzerland | SOFA, New York USA | First We Quake Now We Shake, gallery Platina, Stockholm | Gallery Reverso, Lisbon
2006 Honderd Sieraden CBK R’dam, NL | Contemporary Dutch Fiber Art & Jewelry, Amherst, Ma. USA | SOFA, New York | Splendor Redefined, curated by Charon Kransen, Telluride Gallery of Fine Arts, Telluride, CO. USA | First We Quake Now We Shake, Deux Poissons, Tokyo, Japan | Jump, Friends of Charlotta, Zürich, Switzerland (nomination) | Rabo Bank, Zwolle, NL | Radiant-30years Gallery Ra, Amsterdam, NL | Gallry Petra Spuijbroek, Haarlem, NL
2005 Galeria Reverso, Lisboa, Portugal, duo | "Proximity, the Sensory and Displacement" Wayne State University Detroit, MI, USA | ‘Inspired by Nature?’ hortus van Stockholm, Sweden | CBK Rotterdam, NL | “First We Quake, Now We Shake”, gallery Ra Amsterdam, NL | “Long Strides in Tiny Shoes” Gallery Huis Rechts, Amsterdam, NL | "Gallery Annick Zufferey, Genéve, Zwitserland, solo |  “Blooming Design” Keukenhof NL | "Fools Gold”, gallery the Embassy, Edinburgh, Schotland,
2004 Gallery Phoebus, Rotterdam | Galeria Portals, Calvia, Mallorca | SOFA, Chicago, USA | Galeria Reverso, Lisboa, Portugal | “200 Rings”, gallery Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco USA | Grassi Messe, Leipzig, Germany | Recycling” Annick Zufferey, Geneva, Switzerland | SOFA New York, USA | CBK Zwolle, NL solo | Galerie Slavik. Vienna, Austria | Schmuck 2004 Münich, Germany | Legio Kunst, Tilburg, NL, Solo | Institute Neerlandais, Paris, France.
2003 Gallery Reverso, Lisboa, Portugal | Gallery Portals Palma de Mallorca, Mallorca
2002 “Masterpieces”, Palazzo Bricherasio, Turin, Itally | Gallery LEGIO, Tilburg, NL,
2001 - Gallery Yksi, Eindhoven, NL | NoordOostZuidWest Gallery Reverso, Lisboa, Portugal | MikroMegas, a travelling exposition organised by Otto Künztli, travelling among others, München, New York, Tokyo,
and Sidney. | Gallery Govert van Dijck, Bergen op Zoom, NL Solo | Gallery Lous Martin, Delft, NL Solo
2000 Art Centre of Zaandam, NL | A touring exposition consisting of 9 shows organised by the Art Centre of the province Gelderland, NL Solo
1997 Rietveld naar de Beurs, Amsterdam (annual designers and artists fair. Participation since 1997)
1996 “Trialoog” Gallery Meiling, Edam
1995 Gallery Sofie Lacheart, Gent | Graduation expo in Gallery Ra, Amsterdam | Graduation exposition Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
1994 “Jewelllery Quake” Gerrit Rietveld pavilion, Amsterdam | “Jewelllery Quake” Galerie für angewandte Kunst, München,
1993 “Jewelllery Quake” Hiko Mizuno College of Jewellery, Tokyo 

Grants:
2008 Grant by Prins Bernhardt Fonds, The Netherlands
2007 Stipend by the Mondriaan Foundation (twice) | Stipend by the Fonds BKVB, the Netherlands
2005 Stipend by the Fonds BKVB, the Netherlands
2004 Grant by de ‘Scholings Fonds voor Kunst en Kultuur’, Netherlands | Grant by Prins Bernhard Fonds The Netherlands
2002 Stipend by Fonds Beeldende Kunst (Foundation of Fine Arts & Design, The Netherlands). 

Work experience:
2010 Lecture in Museo Casa Brasileira, Sao Paulo, in the context of Paralela (a design fair) | Workshop in Monteiro Lobato, Brasil.
2009 Workshop for professionals in Monteiro Lobato, Brasil | Lecture at an international design symposium BoomSPDesign, Sao Paulo, Brasil
2008 Work-demonstration and small workshop for jewellery students at the Oslo National Academy of Arts. | Lecture at Gothenburg University, School of Design and Craft. | Jewellery-workshops for children of elementary school Westerpark, Amsterdam, NL | Lecture at the Hiko Mizuno College of Jewellery, Tokyo, Japan. | Jewellery-workshops at ‘Het Mooie Werk’, Amsterdam, NL

2011 Best of 500 Jewelry Lark Books. Sterling Publishing Co.,nInc. New York, London
2010 Oficioyarte, (a design magazine) February edition, CORUÑA, Spain | Goldschmiede Zeitung, Schön umgarnt, article over textile jewellery, pag. 76-81. Bochum, Germany | XOXO, Fashion magazine, Istanbul, Turkey | VORMBERICHTEN, the BNO magazine, article over the Gray Area symposium, with my contribution | DREAMING JEWELRY, by Miquel Abellan, Monsa publishing, Barcelona, Spain | Skylife, Turkish airlaines publication, August issue 2010.
2009 Mixed Media Jewellery by Joanne Haywood. A&C Black Publishers, London, Great Britain | 500 Plastic Designs Lark Books. Sterling Publishing Co.,nInc. New York, London | The Compendium Finale of Contemporary Jewellers 2008, Darling Publications, Cologne, Germany | Precious Design, catalogue of the auction. Pierre Berge & associates, Bruxelles, Belgium | Polski Jubiler, October 2009, “Punkt widzenia” , article over my views and work | Vale viver (a local paper in the countryside, Brazil), October 2009, Ilustre, an article about me giving a workshop in Monteiro Lobato | BOOMSPDESIGN Forum de Arquitetura, Design e Arte, catalogue | Prix Européen des Arts Appliqués, Mons, Belgium, catalogue.
2008 Hemslóden 08/1 Stockholm, Sweden, ( article about the exhibition First we quake...) | Bijoux, Illustration et Design, MAOMAO publications, Barcelona, Spain | 500 Pendants & Lockets Lark Books. Sterling Publishing Co.,nInc. New York, London | Horror Vacui; Catalogue of the exhibition. Forum für Schmuck & Design. Bonn, Germany | Jewelry Design published by daab, Köln, Germany ISBN 978-3-86654-049-1 | Schmuck Magazin, Sep./ Okt. 2008. Article about iron jewelry, p.87. Ulm, Germany | Baltic Jewellery, August 2008 Article about the “Stay Awhile…” contest. Vilnius, Lithuania | Jewellery from natural materials by Beth Legg, A&C Black Publishers, Uk
2007 ZEGARKI I BIZUTERIA, march 2007, Warszawa, Poland | Süddeutsche Zeitung, march 2007 | VISION, april 2007,Beijing, China | Protect Childhood, catalogue, april 2007, Geneva, Switzerland | ITEMS, Netherlands, jan/feb ‘SIERADEN’ | RADIANT, catalogue accompanying the exhibition 30 years Gallery Ra Gallery Ra, Amsterdam, NL | GALLERY MAGAZINE, September issue, Ukraina
2006 500 Necklaces, Lark Books, October 2006 | NEW DIRECTIONS in JEWELLERY II, Black Dog Publishing, London, UK, November 2006 | GALLERY MAGAZINE, December issue, Ukraina | First We Quake Now We Shake, catalogue accompanying the exhibition (download the pdf here)
2005 PROFIL, 04\2005#59 Suisse | DESIGNERS’ WORKSHOP vol.22 feb.2005 Japan | Proximity, The Sensory and Displacement, catalogue
2004 Residence (life style magazine) | Catalogue Grassimesse | 1000 Rings Lark Books New York | Catalogue Schmuck 2004 (cover) | Süddeutsche Zeitung (Samstag 6 mar) named + photo of my work
2001 ONEDEL a book about contemporary jewellryby Threes Moolhyusen- Coenders | Catalogue “Masterpieces” of the exposition in Turin | De Haagse Courant critique exposition in Galerie Lous Martin in Delft, Holland | Catalogue group exposition NoordOostZuidWest “joalharia holandesa contemporânea” | Mikromegas, a catalogue of the travelling exposition by Otto Künzli
1996 Ruimte, apr, “De grenzen van het sieraad”.
1995 Ruimte, oct, “Verslag van de eindexamenwerken in de Nederlandse Kunstacademies” | T.Z. feb, “Schmuck ganz anders” | Süddeutsche Zeitung nr 33, 10 feb, “Schmuck, der schon mal Ganssehaut verursacht”. kein Diamant sein” about | Parool, 9 march, “Cultuurschok door Sieraden”
1993 “The Jewellery Quake”. Catalogue. Photo’s of my work from this catalogue were shown in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (‘96).

Gallery Ra Amsterdam, Netherlands
Gallery Reverso Lisbon, Portugal
Gallery Pont en Plas, Gent, Belgium
Gallery Soda, Istanbul, Turkey
Charon Kransen Arts NY, USA