Karl Fritsch Jewellery Exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery

Post

Subscribe

Fri 15 Feb 2013 - Sun 23 Jun 2013

In my opinion art can get a bit silly sometimes, but if you're a fan of bordering on the ridiculous then you'll love the recent exhibition in the Manchester Art Gallery.



Sculptor Karl Fritsch has designed a set of rings, available for purchase, that are displayed in the Manchester Art Gallery.

We were idly wandering around the gallery when a sparkle caught my eye. Upon closer inspection I found myself in the Karl Fritsch exhibition studying the unusual jewellery. Each piece is cool and definitely quirky, but mostly bizarre. His unusual designs attracted a large crowd when we visited, not just because of the jewels involved but because the rings are encased in glass display cases that seem fit for a King.



Initially we thought the rings were decades old because the gold isn't highly polished (save for one piece). Some appear more wearable than others, such as the ring with a bow on top, one with a small cluster of fine gems, but then Fritsch goes to the other spectrum and has created a ring piled high with real rubies, and another with a horizontal line of gems sprouting from the ring. How bizarre. But bizarre is fun, strange is interesting.



We spent far too long looking at this exhibition, questioning the sculptures motives for such outlandish designs. Surely no-one would wear a ring that is adorned with a large metal bull? Or maybe the buyers just wanted something to look at. It is art after all.



The rings range from £1000, up to £5000 because Fritsch uses a mixture of real materials: gold, silver, rubies, sapphires. If your inner magpie is calling (and you have the money) then you could even splash out on the top biller - the ring decorated with three real gold bars. For £5000 though, admiring from a distance is just as good.

#june
#may
#april
#march
#february
#things_to_see
#jewellery
#free
#family_attractions
#exhibitions
#central_manchester
#art
!date 15/02/2013 -- 23/06/2013
%wnmanchester