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Comments

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  kim price May 4, 2011 at 12:58pm

  love this piece! :-)
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  Joost Daalder May 27, 2011 at 7:31pm

  It's elegantly done, but from an "ethnic" point of view I prefer some of the others which you have which were put together at an earlier time by women wearing them. This is indeed very much a "designed" piece, created recently, and as such much less part of a tradition. But ... one can accept it for what it is. Personally I would concentrate more on those which were actually traditionally worn rather than those put together by modern artists. But that all depends on what one wants.
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  Savanna Caravan May 27, 2011 at 7:38pm

  Hi Joost, I photographed these in Marrakech because I thought the designer knew no boundaries, and had the most exquisite foundations to work with. He created extraordinary pieces - all the pieces here are made by him, probably in the last three months!  I don't own them! But they are extraordinary to touch and hold.
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  Joost Daalder May 27, 2011 at 7:48pm

  That's true - the designer is prepared to put quite a few things together in unexpected ways. It has a certain "style" to it, if not regarded as an ethnic piece.
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  kim price May 27, 2011 at 8:31pm

  .....as someone who designs, I think it is a fabulous piece of jewellery!  I'd love to have such elements to work with.  I guess there comes to play, is it authentic 'ethnic' jewelley?  There are many people, consumers of beautiful, interesting, exotic, handmade pieces, who would love such a necklace for it's 'ethnic' influence.  And as a designer, not having to adhere to more specific, traditional design rules nor making a piece to fool the customer into believing it is authentic, all the while creating a beautiful piece, made with a heavy Moroccan influence, would be a delight.  There is room for both and often I would believe that the artist is a collector, and the customer is appreciative of good design, not necessarily the history of the elements, as a collector would be.  For me it is truly inspirational!
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  Savanna Caravan May 27, 2011 at 8:48pm

  Hello Kim!  I agree wholeheartedly with your comments on design. When I do a design using "ethnic" pieces, I incorporate elements that make it sit better, last longer and protect the beads in a way that the original designer or maker wouldn't have. I freak when I see ancient beads banging up against each other, even though this would contribute to genuine "wear".  My fingers itch when I see "traditional" jewellery that is actually, from a technical perspective, badly made.  But I would NEVER take apart a truly traditional, original piece, as some of my dealers are happy to do, pulling out their pliers when I inspect the age of the stringing material!  I have some sensational NAGA pieces that some swine broke in Nepal customs because I wouldn't pay him baksheesh, but I'd taken photos previously and then I restrung them exactly the same way, using the original string, but threading some new stuff through it to stabilise it.  I think the whole idea of designing is to be sympathetic to the original, respect the components, and protect the end result.  Good to hear from you.
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  kim price May 27, 2011 at 9:12pm

  I grew up with a family of collectors, inherited curse.  ;-)  I will never take apart something original for my own design use, no matter how exciting the components. Broken bits or lonely bits are fair game though!  As I would never have as many elements as are in this photographed item, I tend to mix cultures and centuries, therefore there is no question as to my work being a 'copy of', merely 'ethnic' inspired.  All beautiful components excite me.  I am also enjoying your travels btw, from my kitchen laptop....k
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  Toya May 27, 2011 at 11:59pm

  I believe I own a necklace by this same designer. I'll post a picture of it. It is made of wonderful old components, in particular some antique earrings, which I would never wear if I had purchased them as earrings, because they are so large. I love that these old pieces have a new life and can be worn again. I think this particular designer is using these components in a way that honors the spirit of Moroccan design. I consider these things to be collectable works of art. Let's not forget that the original, authentic old pieces of jewelry were assembled out of treasures at hand for the purpose of being worn.
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  Joost Daalder May 28, 2011 at 5:28am

  There is one important difference, though, Toya, between a piece like this and the older ones assembled by Moroccan women, and it is a difference that stands out IMMEDIATELY to anyone who has seen a lot of those far more "indigenous" pieces. They were very recognisably part of the tradition, and observed characteristic features of it, so that you were NEVER in doubt that they were made for personal wear, and not for the purpose of selling them. By contrast, this piece contains elements that would not have occurred in such original "assemblage" necklaces as they are at times called. This designer is a DESIGNER (not acting like a member of a "tribe", so to speak), and making a very "pretty" piece in the way that artistic people like you or I might proceed, but it is at once recognisable as having a refined and calculated refinement lacking from the older more spontaneous and natural pieces. Yes, it is beautifully done, but it has a completely different purpose and audience in mind. It is a sophisticated piece designed to arouse the admiration of those who are not concerned with history, authenticity of tradition, etc. It is a piece, in essence, to be collected by westerners rather than to be worn by a Moroccan woman. This is a factor that most serious collectors of ethnic jewellery would spot at once, and would be why they would not buy it (that includes people like Truus and me, and many others who are primarily interested in the authentic indigenous tradition and what was worn there). Obviously, that is a "purist" attitude, but it is very strong among ALL traditionalist ethnic art collectors: they only want pieces distinctively made for the "home" market and clearly worn since. In the case of Papuan New Guinea pieces such as masks, this can lead to a difference - quite easily - as large as $1000 vs $20,000 for a piece that might be only 20 years or so older. (It won't be as extreme in this instance, I concede!)  But the way you people describe this piece is entirely a confirmation of what I felt instantly: this is a piece by a designer, not a traditional Moroccan piece as worn over the decades. There are too many departures and deft, elegant touches of a kind not originally found. That is looking at it from the viewpoint of an ethnic art collector. HOWEVER, FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THEIR OWN JEWELLERY, OR WHO ARE INTERESTED IN WEARING RATHER THAN COLLECTING, OR EVEN STRONGLY INTERESTED IN WHAT GETS DONE TO OLD BITS AND PIECES *NOW* (I.E. WHO LIKE "DESIGNER" PIECES), THE WHOLE SITUATION IS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. And that is fine. We don't all need to like the same thing. Probably, over the years, a serious market in this kind of piece will develop as a quite separate, distinctive genre, which is what in fact it is.
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  Savanna Caravan May 28, 2011 at 5:36am

  MERHABA, all.  I have just woken on my last morning in Istanbul to comment thus:  I wonder if any single piece of unrefined, cultural and ethnic jewellery has sparked this much debate! The caption did say these were pieces made by a Moroccan designer, and we must give him credit for allowing his customers to be custodians of gorgeous bits that would perhaps have been left lingering unartistically in a sack somewhere.  Let's see where this comment leads!  I must pack - Venice this evening.