Melbourne Contemporary Jewellery and Object Biennial

Radiant Pavilion is a celebration of the many aspects of contemporary jewellery and object practice in Melbourne and around the world.

Drawing from the strong community surrounding contemporary jewellery and object in Melbourne, Radiant Pavilion has taken shape over the past five years and encompasses events from national and international artists.
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In 2015 the curated program ran from 1 - 6 September and showcased 217 artists from 17 countries in 57 events including urban interventions, performances, installations, exhibitions, talks and open studios.

In 2017 the program ran from 26 August - 3 September 2017 presenting the work of 324 artists through 80 events and was accompanied by two writing projects featuring eight writers and three professional practice seminars in collaboration with Craft Victoria.

The 2019 program will run from 7 - 15 September 2019.

Aims

In coordinating an active program of events, Radiant Pavilion aims to support and celebrate the contemporary jewellery and object field by

• Creating a new platform for presentation, participation and investigation
• Connecting artists, theorists, collectors, wearers and appreciators from Australia and around the world
• Growing the audience by increasing visibility and awareness of the field
• Building sustainable interest in and appreciation for the art form
  
• Establishing a southern focal point for the global field

Co-Directors

Claire McArdle began an education in Gold & Silversmithing in 2007 at RMIT University. She travelled to Estonia for a semester of her Honours year after which she decided to curate an exhibition of Estonian and Australian contemporary jewellery and objects, Words and Works from a World Away. This exhibition was held in Melbourne in 2013 and travelled to The Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design at the end of 2014. The accompanying book included several essays in Estonian and English. 
Claire has held ten solo exhibitions and her work has been exhibited internationally in Thailand, Hong Kong, USA, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Austria and The Netherlands. She has undertaken residencies in Australia, Mexico, Iceland and Estonia and won first prize at Contemporary Wearables '13 and the National Contemporary Jewellery Award in 2016. And received the Excellence Award at the Victorian Craft Awards in 2017.

Chloë Powell has worked in the contemporary jewellery and object field since 2007. Most recently managing the Mari Funaki Award for Contemporary Jewellery at Gallery Funaki (2014 and 2016), she also assisted on the 2008 Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia's biennial conference and has contributed to NGV Gallery magazine and Art Jewelry Forum. After a semester at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, Chloë assisted Dutch curator and art historian Liesbeth den Besten on her book On Jewellery: an International Compendium of Contemporary Art Jewellery (Arnoldsche 2011) and on the international exhibition Ontketend! Grenzeloze Sieraden (Jewellery Unleashed!) at Museum Arnhem, Netherlands.