Authors: Davira Taragin, Alex Ward, Helen W. Drutt English

2006, Hardcover, 128 pages, color photos.

Text in English

Price: $40

Documenting a leading international collaboration between The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, and the Racine Art Museum, Wisconsin, this publication and its accompanying touring exhibition present the first comprehensive study of Israeli contemporary jewelry by focusing on the careers of four of its leading women jewelers: Bianca Eshel-Gershuni, Vered Kaminski, Esther Knobel, and Deganit Stern Schocken. Each of these artists has played a major role in forging an Israeli identity in the contemporary jewelry movement, one that is distinctive from Europe and America. In fact, their work has brought international recognition to a country that has been largely unrecognized for its contribution to contemporary jewelry. While all four jewelers have looked abroad for inspiration and participated in Europe’s New Jewelry movement with its focus on nonprecious materials, their work is uniquely autobiographical, reflecting that all are women, wives, and mothers living in Israel and all are strongly impacted by its culture.