Book Reviews

Shaun Leane

Published by ACC Art Books.

Curated and with a foreword by Shaun himself, this lavishly illustrated tome – too huge and handsome to be a mere ‘book’ – includes in-depth studies by jewellery experts. Their words open up the world of Leane – his first steps into the industry, his inspirations, collaborations and innovations. This record of his career celebrates the 21st anniversary of his jewellery house. It’s also a heartfelt tribute to his friend and long-time collaborator fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen; many of the book’s amazing images are from McQueen shows.

Fine jewellery specialist Joanna Hardy reflects on this collaboration, weaving the first chance meeting into Leane’s story, from early aesthetic sensibilities in north London, to apprenticeship, success and acclaim in Hatton Garden and beyond. By 1997 he was working on six shows a year – two for McQueen’s own line and four for Givenchy (while McQueen was creative director). In 1999 Leane established his own eponymous brand.

Claire Wilcox, V&A senior curator of Fashion, delves deeper into the work that Leane created with McQueen. The extraordinary pieces – often for the whole body – are described in deconstructive detail; the processes of concept, creation and fitting for a show. One model explains: “Wearing that coiled corset forced me to stand up… to be present… It’s very commanding.” Leane’s relationship with McQueen allowed his own originality to flourish. ‘modern classics’. With his own collection “his style emerged fully formed: a fusion of traditional, meticulous craftsmanship and conceptual modernity”. Cultural and historical references combine with an avante garde spirit for his distinctive, provocative, romantic style. Long, slender ‘Tusk’ earrings exemplify Leane’s vision of today’s woman as “a warrior, romantic, strong yet vulnerable.” The 250+ beautiful images are testament to this vision.

Simply Brilliant Artist-jewelers of the 1960s and 1970s

Edited by Cynthia Amnéus D. Giles. In association with Cincinnati Art Museum

From late Autumn this year, until February 2022, museums in Antwerp, Pforzheim and Cincinnati will play host to ‘Simply Brilliant’ – a celebration of around 200 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewellery from the collection of Kimberly Klosterman. The 1960s and ‘70s were a period of “rebellion and intense cultural change in jewellery” – individual and non-conformist, this was a new approach to adorning the body and the jewellery you wore said much about your interests and views.

Central to the shift in ideas was the 1961 International Exhibition of Modern Jewellery (1890-1961) organised by the Goldsmiths’ Company and the V&A. This book explores that groundbreaking show (which went on to be Goldsmiths’ Fair) and its influence on major jewellery houses like Boucheron, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. Some of their very contemporary pieces made their way into the Klosterman collection.

As did jewellery by UK-based artist-jewellers Andrew Grima (a favourite of The Queen and Princess Margaret), John Donald, Gerda Flockinger, Laurence Graff, Arthur King and David Thomas – joining designers from the US and across Europe. Essays on subjects like ‘The Art of Fashion & Jewellery’ are followed by a beautifully illustrated catalogue of the exhibition, each designer’s career, inspirations and style outlined in detail and in turn.

The Circle and the Line The Jewelry of Betty Cooke

By: Jeannine Falino and Eleanor Hughes D. Giles. In association with The Walters Art Museum

This book accompanies a retrospective of almost seven decades of work by internationally acclaimed, Baltimore-based jewellery artist-designer Betty Cooke. An ‘”icon within the tradition of modernist jewelry” Cooke’s guiding principle is ‘less is more’; her pieces are described as wearable, minimalist sculpture – expressed through lines and angles.

The foreword points out that she is “less concerned with crafting… tokens of power and conspicuous wealth… her artistry is rooted in a relationship between abstract form and body”. Deceptively simple, her jewellery often uses mixed materials: base metals with tubes of gold and pearls, gold with a pebble and a diamond or silver with bone or ebony.

The book features a full-illustrated checklist, “Reflections” by leading patrons and collectors of Cooke’s work, an illustrated time-line, a selected bibliography and a list of collections containing pieces by Betty Cooke.