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the jewels of ute decker are described as “a powerful statement” that “sets a shining ethical example” (financial times). the economist 1843 compares her “avant-garde sculptural pieces” to “swirling sculptures” while christie’s simply calls them “wearable works of art”.
ute decker, b 1969 germany
lives and works in london
ute decker is best known for her minimalist yet bold sculptural pieces.
she has created an innovative method of sculpting, bending, and twisting gold and silver into expressive three-dimensional “geometric poetry”.
exhibited internationally, her sculptural jewellery pieces are found in major private and public collections including the victoria & albert museum.
all creative disciplines need a dose of disruption to truly evolve, decker is doing this for jewellery one sculptural, beautiful, ethically produced piece at a time.
mazzi odu, magnus oculus
the unique and limited edition pieces are as engaging worn on the body as they are displayed on a plinth. her contemporary jewellery practice is enriched by her experience in other mediums such as sculpture, textiles, paper and ceramics.
each of her wearable sculptures are a conversation piece and storyteller.
her journalistic background continues to inform her practice: she thinks carefully about her work and its context in society and the environment, and unites her creative practice with a committed social engagement. combining the poetic with the political, the clean and pure lines of decker’s pieces reflect the purity and mindful choice of her material’s provenance.ute decker is a pioneer of the international ethical jewellery movement. she works predominantly in recycled silver and was one of the very first worldwide to create pieces in Fairtrade Gold.
she is a regular speaker on the subject. through her website she established the world’s largest free online resource on green jewellery practices. she is passionate about sharing her knowledge, raising public awareness and facilitating change amongst makers and the public. since 2018 this resource can be found at ethicalmaking.org created in partnership with the incorporation of goldsmiths, scotland. -
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Longer Articles and Video interviews
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The Society of Jewellery Historians - Lecture
Ute Decker: Sculptural Minimalism & Fairtrade Gold — philosophy, provenance and process 23 November 2021 i am immensely honoured to have been invited by the venerable society of jewellery historians to give the annual artist lecture. the goldsmiths' craft & design council design award winner... -
bryna pomp in conversation with ute decker
Video interview - Goldsmiths' Fair 2021 27 September 2021 join bryna pomp as she talks to jeweller ute decker about her award winning iconic sculptural jewellery. ute decker's pieces are exhibited internationally and have won prestigious awards including gold... -
In conversation - Ute Decker with Isabelle Fish of Rue Pigalle
Video interview - on igtv 18 September 2021 on instagram igtv click here to view the Conversation -
Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery Interview with Ute Decker
Wearing the Line April 10, 2020 Elisabetta Cipriani interview with sculptural jeweller Ute Decker where the artist talks about inspiration, process, philosopy and ethical approach in her work. -
Ute Decker: Jewellery Artist and Activist
Interview by Mazzi Odu, Published on Magnus Oculus December 8, 2020 Ute Decker: Jewellery Artist and Activist Interview by Mazzi Odu, Published on Magnus Oculus "all creative disciplines need a dose of disruption to truly evolve, decker is doing this for jewellery one sculptural, beautiful, ethically produced piece at a time."
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Press Quotations
thank you for each and every beautiful word
Ms. Phillips (jewelry curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum) said Ms. Decker’s work was an example of the sensitivity to materials that makes contemporary jewelry so exciting… “Like contemporary art, it’s jewelry that makes you think,” she said.
read full article in the International New York Times
“jewellery that makes a powerful statement…
this sculptural jewellery sets a shining ethical example"Financial Times, How To Spend It
"the architectural jeweller"
Financial Times
“Ute Decker won international acclaim
for jewellery that is as much sculpture as body adornment”FT How to Spend It
“The master of the sculptural jewel"
Carol Woolton, Vogue
“Ute Decker has built a reputation for striking,
minimalist pieces made in Fairtrade gold”FT How to Spend It
"Ute’s pieces will be future icon of jewellery art"Didier Haspeslagh, Gallery Didier
“Ute Decker is the first name that comes to mind
when the words sculptural and jewellery come together. She creates jewels that look just as striking sitting on a museum-style black block of wood as they do on the body”The Telegraph Luxury
“Ringing the changes at Goldsmiths’ One of the designers [Zaha Hadid] has picked is Ute Decker, a German political economist-turned-journalist-turned-jeweller whose designs also show the fair's change of pace. She makes avant-garde sculptural pieces that look like… swirling sculptures. …producing her minimalist designs using Fairtrade gold”The Economist, Intelligent Life / 1843
"Ute Decker’s arrestingly beautiful creations – wearable sculptures
to adorn the hand, arm or neck – caused a considerable stir when they erupted onto the jewellery scene in 2009, instantly establishing her as one of the UK’s most exciting new studio-jewellers. Aptly described as ‘architectural jewellery’, the sweeping scale and ambition of her pieces, married to their minimalist design and unfettered originality, have since earned ute recognition from prestigious galleries, acclaim from the international press and collectors..."Goldsmiths’ Company - Who's Who In Gold And Silver
The queen of green:
How Artist Jeweller Ute Decker is spearheading the fight for sustainable jewelleryTempus meets Ute Decker, a trailblazer of the ethical jewellery movement and advocate for change
Artist Jeweller Ute Decker was has long been ahead of the curve.
A trailblazer of the ethical jewellery movement and advocate for change, Decker was one of the first Fairtrade Gold licence-holders worldwide, and one of the first jewellers to launch a collection made entirely from such material. The limited-edition, wearable sculptures that have become her signature – all of which are individually hand-crafted – have garnered notable acclaim. Not limited to jewellery showcases, the avant-garde pieces have been presented at art and design shows across the world, including Masterpiece London, Design Basel and Paris’ Art Elysées, as well as being selected by the late Dame Zaha Hadid to showcase at London’s Goldsmiths’Fair.
Tempus Magazine
