BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF JEWELLERY

HND JEWELLERY & SILVERSMITHING

BA JEWELLERY AND OBJECT HEAD OF SCHOOL

JEREMY HOBBINS

STAFF TEAM DELIVERING PROJECT

DAUVIT ALEXANDER, KATY TROMANS, REBECCA SKEELS

CASTING IN BRONZE G W LUNT

TIN/PEWTER

IN-HOUSE CASTING WITH CLARE

MAIDEN AND TECHNICAL TEAM

GABRIELLA IVANA BROADLEY A Riot of Vines

‘This bronze art medal is an expression of the challenges faced by individuals in a society where patriarchal norms are deeply ingrained. It was initially designed in response to the Sarah Everard case in 2021. The sinuous design of the serpent-like creature symbolises the pervasive nature of oppression, while the reverse shows flowers bursting forth representing resilience, a symbol of hope in the battle for gender equality.’

LILLI CANHAM Ear

Worm

‘The medal explores how an intrusive thought can be both innocuous and obnoxious. The piece draws inspiration from the conflicting opinions we might feel when a song is stuck in our head. While a pragmatist might see the worm as a hindrance, a hedonist might be inclined to immerse themselves in the blissful ignorance of the tune.’

Esta De La Torre

Passings By

‘I based the medal on the Santiago de Compostela Camino, a walk my father took from Seville to Santiago, and my inspiration came from the photographs he sent me along the way: the landscapes, architecture and artefacts. Historically, the Camino is a religious and spiritual practice, named after St James, who used a scallop shell to ask for water, and which has become a symbol of the walk.’

KEELAN FAUNT-BRODERICK Calm and

Chaos

‘Some believe that the chaos of life is what makes it exciting and worth living, while others believe that the calm of death is the ultimate goal. The umbilical cord is attached to the noose, suggesting a cycle and co-dependency. The background of the baby is calm waves, suggesting an unblemished existence.’

OSCAR GLENISTER Tempus Fugit

‘This is a medal that explores the passing of time and its circular nature; the rich symbolism of the Ouroboros, the snake eating its tail, perfectly reflects the endlessness of the Celtic Dara knot. The reverse of the medal is a functional sundial, which invites the viewer to interact with the piece, enjoy its tactile nature, and encourage contemplation. Just remember you need to be in the northern hemisphere to be accurate.’

MARY-BETH HAMILTON Suffer in Silence

‘The medal explores how society treats someone suffering with depression. The small man curled up, alone on the edge, is the focus of the piece. He represents the sufferer. The partying people on the obverse suggests that others don’t always know how to support such people, so he is ignored. On the back, the words “I’m fine I’m okay I’m alright” show the reality of hiding how you really feel with these automatic responses. The medal is small enough to conceal in the palm of your hand, a personal battle.’ see a representation of tactile paving, used for sidewalks, metro stations, buses and other public places. I was inspired by the Paralympian Karolina Pelendritou, a story of the courage of a visually impaired athlete who won a gold medal in swimming in 2022 in Tokyo. The medal is to raise awareness.’

YUQIAO LIU Sacrifices for Freedom

‘Through this medal I hope to inspire people to reflect on the sacrifices made for freedom. One side depicts a bird housed in a cage, to rest and sleep comfortably. The bird is not free. The reverse shows a nest in a window with eggs and a pigeon flying around freely in the snow. They enjoy freedom but must put up with challenges posed by the natural world, and unknown threats. This is like being cared for when young, without worries; compared to being free as an adult, but needing to tackle challenges.’

Prize Winner CLARE MAIDEN

Cornish Tin-Mining’s Legacy on the Landscape (tin/pewter)

KAROLINA KALOGIROU A Message for Those Who See but are Blind

‘On one side is the message of the title, and on the other is the same message in Braille. On the edge of the medal you will

‘A tin medal narrating the story of tin mining in Cornwall and its legacy. The derelict chimneys and engine houses that litter the Cornish landscape, perched precariously on cliffs, tell the story of the thousands of men who every day would trek miles under the ground, in brutally hot and airless conditions, blasting and digging out the ore to fuel our industrial revolution. The mines closed and communities are trying to rebuild themselves with tourism and new industry. Those discarded mines now have UNESCO World Heritage status. The obverse depicts the derelict engine house and chimney; the reverse shows the location of the tin mines in Cornwall. The encircling edge of the medal resembles the bricks of a chimney, the most visual feature of this legacy on the landscape.’ Winner of the Bigbury Mint Honourable Mention prize.

GEORGIA SPYROU The

Seeds of Good and Evil

‘As a Greek-Cypriot, the pomegranate holds a lot of meaning to me, as it was always very symbolic of our culture. From Greek mythology it was referred to as the “fruit of the dead”. It played a significant role in the Hades and Persephone myth. It also represented fertility in addition to death, with a strong association for Hera and Aphrodite, the goddess of love. It still symbolises good luck and fertility.’

GUANXU WU Deer’s Eye

‘My design inspiration always comes from nature and relates to the environment, to find out the relationship between people and nature. The medal suggests this competition between people and the forest by combining a deer’s right eye (on the obverse) at the centre of the medal, with wrinkles surrounding it creating a mountain and water. The reverse was carved with humans, birds and deer to present forms of freedom. What humans decide affects the relationship.’ This medal received a Merit.

Prize Winner CLARE MAIDEN

Cornish Tin-Mining’s Legacy on the Landscape (tin/pewter) 75mm

The Bigbury Mint in Devon awards the Honourable Mention prize annually, which is particularly suited here considering the medal has been cast in tin. There is good contrast between the two sides, one landscape and one topographical.

YOURAN ZUO Women Observed

‘By comparison, I found that through the study of the history of fairy tales, there were great differences in the depiction of women between the Middle Ages and modern times. Medieval depictions of women showed them ill-treated by cruel, malicious people. But in today’s world a character with a tragic ending is just a supporting role, and a positive person is the main character in the story. This kind of propaganda is completely unjustified in modern society.’