92Y is pleased to announce the selection of the Jewelry Center’s third annual Artist in Residence, Claudia Lepik.
She is an Estonian jeweler working in metal and mixed media with an edgy, avant-garde style. A recent graduate of the Estonian Academy of Arts, she explores connecting jewelry to the body in unusual ways, using the power of tension in her materials to hide and reveal parts of the body, and delves into the themes of strength and fragility. The residency at 92Y begins August 14 through September 15, 2019 and culminates with a workshop on Friday, September 13, 2019 from 10 am-1 pm led by Lepik.
Claudia Lepik was chosen for the 92Y International Jewelry Residency program by a distinguished jury including: Kathy Chazen, 92Y Board and Jewelry Center committee member; Freyja Hartzell, Associate Professor, Bard Graduate Center; Jonquil O’Reilly, VP Head of Sale, Christies; JB Jones and Bella Neyman, co-founders of NYC Jewelry Week; and Jonathan Wahl, 92Y Jewelry Center Director.
“I am thrilled to welcome Claudia as the 2019 Jewelry Artist in Residence,” Wahl said. “Claudia’s work is arresting, beautiful and challenging, and she is part of a growing movement in contemporary jewelry to depict work in an editorial style ‘out of the white cube’ and on the body. She represents the next wave in how contemporary jewelry is considered. Her work also touches on the movement of Dutch jewelry from the 60s that engaged the body in a similar way and body adornment from numerous traditions including her own ethnic Seto culture, blending these themes in a manner that is both seductive and hard to overlook.
“This residency is designed to provide time, space and facilities for research, experimentation and the cultivation of new ideas in jewelry and light metalwork—all while giving the artist an immersive experience in the vibrant world of New York City and 92Y’s arts and culture. We were thrilled to receive applications from around the world and we’re looking forward to welcoming Claudia this summer,” Wahl continued. 92Y Jewelry Residency is supported by 92Y Board member, Kathy Chazen. Previous Jewelry Center Artists in Residence have included Ineke Heerkens (2018) and Göran Kling (2017), who was most recently featured in Vogue.
“I am honored and thrilled to be chosen as a participant in the 92Y jewelry residency 2019. New York’s artistic atmosphere will be very influential on my work due to the strong local fashion scene that I am interested in incorporating into my architectural creations,” Lepik said.
A record number of applications were received from jewelry artists in 33 countries. The jury also recognized two runners-up for the residency: Ebrahim Mohammadian Elird from Bosnia Herzegovina for his lyrical and mystical jewelry and outstanding technical prowess, and Fabiana Gadano from Argentina for her beautiful use of recycled plastic bottles which resemble flower petals or sea creatures under her hand’s manipulation. 92Y has a long tradition of artists in residence in various disciplines—most recently, visual artist Shantell Martin completed a three-month residency at 92Y in fall 2018 prior to her site-specific collaboration with the NYC Ballet at Lincoln Center, and we’ve welcomed dancers, writers, musicians and others.