MISSHAPEN / IOCUS
Iocus (Latin) – a jest, a game, a minor amusement, a gem.
“Jewelry doesn’t make a person more beautiful, but it makes a person feel more beautiful”
Andy Warhol
The relationship between jewelry, beauty and status has interested us since we realized that beauty can not only be observed or appreciated, but also possessed and owned. But the question of what jewelry really is is rarely asked. Having no practical purpose, jewelry has become an unquestionable part of many cultures, associated with mythology, rituals, and the miraculous properties of precious stones. Even though most ritualistic properties are no longer relevant, we don’t stop adorning ourselves, because the ritual value has been changed by the factual – the quality of the metal, the purity and certificates of the gemstone, the reputation of the manufacturer and our own ability to show off.
IOCUS, the new collection from MISSHAPEN, is an open question about the significance of jewelry in modern life, our irrational desire for luxury, pleasures and things that have no practical value.
MISSHAPEN was born from the idea that the beauty of a piece of jewelry should not reflect traditional aesthetic values. While working on IOCUS, the idea of deformation has moved from questions about material beauty to thoughts about our approach towards it. Perhaps an unusually-shaped piece of jewelry is not misshapen, but rather what we perceive to be an adornment. That is why the main material in the collection is colored glass. Used in place of a gemstone, it reflects light and changes colour depending on viewing angle, provoking the observer to get closer. And somewhat ironically, it reminds us that by reflecting on the environment, the jewelry becomes a part of it, rather than drawing attention to the person who is wearing it.
IOCUS consists of massive, atypical jewelry shapes that continue the idea of MISSHAPEN. The pieces look sculptural and should be seen as portable objects of contemporary design, created and handmade from silver and reflective colored glass.