MAD About Jewelry 2024
MAD About Jewelry is the spring bloom on the buzzy global fashion calendar and the Museum of Art and Design’s annual benefit sale of contemporary jewelry. On the first Monday of May the 6th, the same date as the Met Gala, MAD’s Chair Emerita Barbara Tober invited friends to an afternoon at the Museum of Art and Design in Manhattan.
In celebration of the Museum of Arts and Design’s (MAD) annual artisan jewelry exhibition and sale, MAD About Jewelry, a luncheon and talk was hosted by Barbara Tober, MAD’s Chair Emerita, with arts and jewelry expert Tiffany Dubin, and MAD Associate Curator Barbara Paris Gifford.
The fashionistas Roberta Amon, Jeffrey Banks, Phillip Bloch, Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, Pat Cleveland, Cece Cord, Will Cotton, Barbara de Portago, Lauren Ezersky, Han Feng, Barbara Flood, Michele Gerber Klein, Barbara Hoffman, Gemma Kahng, Harold Koda, Martha Kramer, Sally Lee, Laura Lobdell, Fern Mallis, Marsy Mittlemann, Tinu Naija, Katrina Pavlos, Emma Snowdon-Jones, Benny Tabatabai, Kay Unger Pitman, and Barbara Winston arrived at the MAD Museum and swept up to a private lunch at Robert on the museum’s top floor with sweeping views of Columbus Circle and Central Park.
“Tim and I are happy you are here”, said Barbara Tober standing alongside MAD Director, Tim Rodgers. “MAD is a place of joy, it is a place of ideas, a place of breaking the rules.”
Sipping on glasses of white wine and lemon water, everyone caught up over a lunch of grilled organic Amish chicken over garden market greens, watermelon radish, Marcona almonds in a champagne vinaigrette followed by petite desserts of Mango Coconut Mousse tart, Raspberry Napoleon, chocolate covered strawberries and Tres Leches Cake.
While coffee and dessert were served there was a fascinating talk, Jewelry Stories on the inspiration and process of artists in the major collection with arts and jewelry expert Tiffany Dubin moderated by MAD’s Associate Curator Barbara Paris Gifford.
The discussion engaged with handpicked examples of artworks, exploring topics such as the usage of unconventional materials and shapes, and jewelry as a form of expression. “It’s not about precious stones. It’s not about platinum or gold.”, said Tiffany, “It’s about alternative materials, found objects — they tell stories.
MAD prides itself on being NYC’s finest collection of artists’ studio jewelry. Their Craft Front & Center exhibition series explores the thematic touchpoints in craft art history. Their current exhibition OUT of the Jewelry Box features works that explore ideas of identity, such as queerness, PTSD, and politics. Barbara Paris Gifford noted, “Our collection includes artists who experiment with the boundaries of jewelry.”
The party moved on to the ultimate jewelry pop-up on the 3rd floor, with a curated collection of 50 MAD artists from 20 countries. Here the whole floor was devoted to collectors and jewelry enthusiasts to have the rare opportunity to meet and acquire pieces from emerging and acclaimed international jewelry artists.
The annual exhibition and pop-up sale in New York City offered exquisite contemporary jewelry designs from May 4–8, 2024.
Don’t forget the Store at MAD, where you can acquire your collection from 13 international designers and artists who are redefining the world of fine jewelry from RE:FINE Spring 2024. The Museum’s retail store is open year-round to take home treasures from vases, art books, handbags, handprinted scarves, and more.
MAD About Jewelry supports participating artists and museum educational programs at the Museum of Art and Design.
