Mentality

Working as an jewelry-artist is a matter of attitude, a conscious choice for a certain way of working; a mentality.
It is of no importance to me whether the piece of jewelry I made exceeds boundaries. My aim is to make a good piece of jewelry and whether it is defined as art is up to others.
In making my jewelry I am in search of answers to questions I cannot or will not ask myself, hoping that my jewelry can show me both the questions and the answers.
Of great importance are archetypical forms of jewelry; I can be fascinated by a plain linkchain. Mere circles creating a picture and function that cannot be improved, form and function intertwined.

Intellectual themes, which are often used by my colleagues, are not in my line and are a dead-end to me. However, the fact that others work in this way I find important and inspiring.
I work with the idea that without the great past no present is possible.
During my attendance at the Rietveld Academy (Amsterdam) I decided that I want to cherish and keep up the tradition of the age-old craft. Reading the biography of Benvenuto Cellini, a sculptor/ goldsmith from the Renaissance was an important stimulus for me in this.
My work are clear pieces of jewellery and are certainly very wearable.
My inspirations are the material, the symbolism of a traditional shape or the beauty of a technique.
I have acquired an extensive knowledge of traditional materials and old techniques of the craft.
This knowledge enables me to let my pieces of jewellery arise from controlled experiments, pieces of jewellery that carry within them the significance of the goldsmith tradition.

Ralph Bakker
December 1999/2001

Seduction

Pure seduction

Ralph Bakker works gold, silver, precious gems, pearls and enamel into his pieces; the technical books in his possession are all about jewelry; he has, with heart and soul, dedicated himself to the skill and magic of the goldsmith. In the late 80‘s and early 90‘s that was an unusual attitude for a young jewelry designer, particularly in the Netherlands. At that time critics were more concerned about the conceptual aspects of the ornament.
Eventually everything rolled into place. For Ralph Bakker the jewel, with all it‘s traditions and connotations, became the concept of his work. That holds true for the rich colour combinations that he builds up with his materials, for the details in his complex jewelry, for the royal place he reserves for certain stones and foremost for the suggestive effect of the true jewel; in short, the pure seduction.
The underlying theme in all the work that he has exhibited in Galerie Lousie Smit is - the erotic. Sometimes hidden, sometimes explicit. Seduction is in one‘s mind, not only the body. His work is made for women, without consciously excluding men. For him the greatest satisfaction comes from enticing a woman to posses and to wear his jewelry.
I am one of those women. In 1991 I saw a necklace with boat-shaped links of blackened silver, the insides warmly dressed with gold leaf and each boat was set with a white shell. After sleeping on it for one night I knew I had to have that necklace. As an experienced art historian I knew the erotic symbolism of the almond-shape as well as that of the shells with their tempting undersides. But as with all seduction, and perhaps most importantly, I could connect it to a story of my own.
The sensuality in the beautiful collars is ambiguous as well. They are strong in form even though they are made for that transitional place on the body, the sensitive area between neck and breast. From this position the effect of their subtle brilliance in relationship to the face is optimal. Stemming from an ancient tradition the chain mail links make these jewels into objects that willingly form themselves to the body.
Brilliance is reciprocal, suppleness asks to be touched and traditions offer a starting point for one‘s own memories and fantasy. The adage, ‘‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder‘‘, holds more than true for Ralph Bakker‘s enticing jewelry.

Marjan Unger
Translation Maria Russo

Ralph Bakker (13-07-1958)


Education:

1986 t/m 1991 MTS Vakschool, Schoonhoven
1991 t/m 1994 Gerrit Rietveld academie, Amsterdam


Solo exhibitions:

1997 Galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam
1998 "De betekenis van traditie" Hist.Museum het Schielandshuis, Rotterdam
1999 Galerie Slavik, Wenen
2001 Galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam
2004 Ram foundation, Rotterdam
2004 Galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam
2007 Galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam


Group exhibitions:

2007
‘Collect’ V&A Museum, London GB, galerie Louise Smit
‘Artform’ PalmBeach, Florida,Charon Kransen USA
‘SOFA Art Fair’ Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago
‘Gold Rausch’, Galerie Slavik, Wenen

2006
‘Email’ Gallery Helene Poree, Parijs
‘At beauty's edge’ Patina Gallery, Santa Fe, USA
‘Mooie dingen’ CBK, Rotterdam
‘Collect’ V&A Museum, London GB, galerie Louise Smit
‘Artform’ PalmBeach, Florida,Charon Kransen USA
‘SOFA Art Fair’ Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago
‘Sommerfestival’ Galerie Slavik, Wenen

2005
"Collect" , V&A Museum, London GB, galerie Louise Smit
"Artform" ,PalmBeach, Florida,Charon Kransen USA
Art+Craft Expo Dubai,Charon Kransen USA
SOFA Art Fair, Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago
15 jaar galerie slavik, Galerie Slavik, Wenen
Vitrine presentatie, CBK Rotterdam
Made in Rotterdam, Ram foundation, Rotterdam

2004
"small works" Ram Foundation, Rotterdam
" Ladenkast-project" Galerie Phoebus, Rotterdam
"Artform" ,PalmBeach, Florida,Charon KransenUSA
"Collect" , V&A Museum, London GB, galerie Louise Smit
“Over my shoulder” Lesley Craze Gallery, London

2003
"010-sieraden/jewelery" presentatie rotterdam jewelery, CBK Rotterdam
"International jewelry and methalsmithing invitational"Iowa museum of Art,w.Charon Kransen USA
"Sieraden-salon 2003" jaarlijkse sieraden lezingen cyclus, Claartje Keur, Apeldoorn
SOFA Art Fair, Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago
"Artform" ,PalmBeach, Florida,Charon Kransen USA

2002
“zonder wrijving geen glans” CentraalMuseum, Utrecht
SOFA Art Fair, Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago
“Dutch Diversity” Lesly Craze gallery, London
"At beauty's edge" Patina Gallery, Santa Fe, USA

2001
SOFA Art Fair, Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago
"De nieuwe keten van de burgemeester" Stedelijk museum, Amsterdam
"Uit in Rotterdam" Museum Het Schielandshuis, Rotterdam

2000
Mit schmuckkunst am Ball, Galerie Slavik, Wenen
SOFA Art Fair, Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago
“Trous d’eau” Studio Mei-Ling Knibbe, Edam

1999
Omschakelen naar 21ste eeuw, TC Designcentre, Schiedam
SOFA Art Fair, Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago
Insects, travelling exhibition

1997 / 1998
“Flessibellisimo”-Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen
“Een willekeurige verzameling” galerie Louise Smit,
Amsterdam
“Waterprojekt”- galerie Ademloos, Den Haag
“What abouth men”- galerie Louise Smit,Amsterdam
“ De betekenis van traditie”-Solopresentatie, historisch museum het SchielandsHuis, Rotterdam
“Colliers” museum voor moderne kunst, Arnhem

1995 / 1996
“Duft” (parfum sieraden) - Schmuck Forum, Zurich (CH)
“Parelprojekt” - Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen
“Scmuck aus Holland” - Galerie Slavik, Wenen (A)
“Geen parel dient bij nacht gekocht” - Galerie Sofie
Lachaert, Gent (B)

1989 t/m 2001
‘De nieuwe keten van de burgemeester’ Stedelijk museum, Amsterdam

‘Uit in Rotterdam’ Museum Het Schielandshuis, Rotterdam
‘Mit schmuckkunst am Ball’ Galerie Slavik, Wenen

‘SOFA Art Fair’ Charon Kransen, New York/Chicago (jaarlijks)

‘Trous d’eau’ Studio Mei-Ling Knibbe, Edam
‘Omschakelen naar 21ste eeuw’ TC Designcentre, Schiedam


‘Insects’ Lous Martin, Delft
‘Flessibellisimo’ Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen

‘Waterprojekt’ galerie Ademloos, Den Haag

‘What abouth men’ galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam

‘’k zou zo graag een ketting rijgen’ museum voor moderne kunst, Arnhem
‘Duft’ (parfum sieraden) Schmuck Forum, Zurich
‘Parelprojekt’ Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen
‘Scmuck aus Holland’ Galerie Slavik,
“Talent te kijk 3” - Goud, Zilver en klokkenmuseum, Schoonhoven
“Gevoel voor Ringen” - Galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam
“Multiple choice” - CBK, Rotterdam


Stipendia, Beurzen & Prijzen:

1989 Eerste prijs "Talent te Kijk 3" studenten contest
Goud,zilver & klokken-Museum te schoonhoven
2000 Basisstipendium Fonds voor Beeldendekunst, Vormgeving
en Bouwkunst
2002 Basisstipendium Fonds voor Beeldendekunst, Vormgeving
en Bouwkunst


Openbare collecties & Opdrachten:

1989 Goud, zilver en klokken museum, Schoonhoven
1991 Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst
1997 Studentencollectie Gerrit Rietveld Academie
1998 & 1999 SchielandsHuis, historisch museum, Rotterdam
2004 "Wilhelmina-ring", tweejaarlijkse euvre-prijs voor een nederlandse beeldhouwer
2005 Newark Museum of Art, Newark NJ, USA

1998 'Secrets of Aromatic Jewelry' isbn:2-08013-634-8
1998 ‘The Ring” isbn:2-88046-317-3
1999 ‘Schmuck. Kunst am Körper” isbn: 3-9501155-0-1
2001 'De Nieuwe Keten van de Burgemeester isbn:90-9014800-0
2004 'Wedding Rings' isbn: 1-58479-375-9
2004 "Jewels catalogue", Galerie Louise Smit
2004 "Het nederlandse sieraad in de twintigste eeuw" (isbn: 90-6868-348-9)
2006 ‘500 Necklaces’ Lark Books isbn:1-57990-701-6
2006 ‘RIJK’ contemporary jewellery card game isbn:90-810942-1-1

— www.louisesmit.nl

— www.charonkransenarts.com

— www.lesleycrazegallery.co.uk

— www.galerie-slavik.com

— www.koorenhof-email.nl

Klimt02 | Gallery

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Barcelona 08008.
Tel.00 34 933687235.
klimt@klimt02.net