I was thrilled to be part of the opening of Aqua Ambra Aquila Jewelry Exhibition in the last week of January. This is the second exhibition after the first one last summer at the Maritime Center Vellamo in Kotka. The exhibition this time is taking place as a pop-up exhibition at Kruunu, a Horology and Jewellery Museum in Espoo and will be on view until the end of March.
Jewelry of Winners and Finalists
This exhibition showcases jewelry created by winners and finalists of Aqua Ambra Aquila International Jewelry Competition. The finalists created pieces with different approaches, techniques, and materials, all under the theme of ‘The sea giveth, the sea taketh.’ It was a joy to explore the works once again, discovering new facets and stories of the works through lively exchange with the artists as well as the organizers. Time flies when you’re having interesting and deep conversations!
It’s such an honor that my ring series received the 1st place award at the competition. Such an amazing experience to participate alongside inspiring talent from around the world. My ring series I.Sea.You., created from recycled silver and recycled paper, portrays the coral bleaching phenomenon. Since this series, I’ve been developing more pieces in this theme, most of which I’ve shown at I.Sea.You.2. Jewelry Exhibition, at Leaves & Love 2024 Jewelry Exhibition at Helsinki Winter Garden.
More of behind the scenes
I’ve shared about the inspiration for my rings, and now I’d like to share about the competition process. After the announcement of the theme, each participant gets about a few weeks to submit a proposal. This could be a sketch, 3D model etc., accompanied by explanation about the piece. From the proposals, ten finalists are selected. Then, the finalists get time to make the actual piece for about one month time. In my case, I went traveling which was already planned before I took part in the competition. It was about one week trip, so my time to create the pieces was shorter. I was so happy to complete the piece, on the last day! The final piece then needs to be sent or brought to the office of Finnish Goldsmiths’ Association. From here, the jury team selects the winners.
As in the image above, the sketch is from the proposal, and below is the actual piece. It was the first time I made a piece based on a really detailed plan. Usually my reference is my pencil drawing and the final result could be pretty different than the initial sketch. I definitely learned so much working this way!
Visit Kruunu Museo
I wholeheartedly recommend visiting Museum Kruunu! At the same time there are several exhibitions taking place, which I believe will inspire you:
• Aqua Ambra Aquila – jewelry pop-up exhibition until 30.3.2025
• My World II Minun maailmani II – jewelry exhibition until 27.4.2025. The exhibition showcases the stories of 16 highly educated immigrant women, focusing on themes of equality, inclusion, and equity in Finland. Each story sharer is paired with a jewelry professional—such as a jewelry artist, designer, or goldsmith—who collaborates with them to create pieces inspired by their stories.
• The Professionals of Time Ajan ammattilaiset 80 vuotta perinteistä kädentaidon opetusta ja tulevaisuuden teknologiaa – watch exhibition until 30.3.2025. In the exhibition, you will get to explore the activities of this internationally renowned school through course watches, student projects, and archival materials.
Discover fascinating insights and stories from the world of jewelry and horology art at Kruunu Museum!
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