The Strong & Precious Art Foundation took part in NYC Jewelry Week for the first time this year, introducing contemporary Ukrainian designers to the American jewellery industry.
Organisation founder, Olga Oleksenko presented the How Precious UA exhibition at the Mriya Gallery in Lower Manhattan – the first Ukrainian art space in New York that aspires to foster an appreciation for Ukrainian artistic expression, giving a platform for Ukrainian creativity to a global audience.
Two jewellery industry experts joined Oleksenko to tell the American audience about the Strong & Precious mission.
Victoria Gomelsky of JCK Magazine presented the project to the press, while Responsible Jewellery Council executive director Melanie Grant hosted a live Q&A during a special cocktail event.
Six one-of-a-kind pieces, of which five make up the Strong & Precious Foundation collection, were commissioned by Oleksenko and created by Nomis, Gunia Project, Yuval Studios, Drutis Jewellery, Inesa Kovalova, with additional input from Strong & Precious.
Each piece carries a profound message referencing the current situation in Ukraine.
The individual designers meticulously crafted their own stories in their choice of inspiration, material, and the eventual shape of their creation.
Themes ran from last winter’s freezing blackouts, to steel from the besieged Mariupol region, to freshly ripened ears of wheat, and back to the ancient Tripillian culture which flows through every Ukrainian’s veins.
During terrible times for the motherland, jewellery art has become both an artistic language to use in expressing unspeakable topics and a savoir-faire of hope that spreads global awareness of the richness and diversity of talent inherent in Ukrainian culture.
