Waiting to be noticed...Gingerboy wears jewels

04/08/15

During Radiant Pavilion, Gingerboy will be home to a collaborative project where floor staff will be dressed with jewellery pieces by recent RMIT graduates and, in effect, will become a ‘walking exhibition’.

The personal interaction between diners and staff will encourage discussion about the work – who made it/why the waiter chose it/what the people at the table think about it etc.

Sue Buchanan, new jewels #1, 2014, brooch, mild steel, vitreous fired enamel, silver, stainless steel, 85x85x8mm. Brooch worn by Jane – wait staff member at Gingerboy

Sue Buchanan speaks about Waiting to be noticed...Gingerboy wears jewels with the help of some of her fellow artists

What brought you together for this event?

As a group we have a shared student history at RMIT and have found ‘that not only do we work well together but we also challenge each other to make great work.’ Chris Massey
And we have a long term plan of continuously putting the band back together not unlike ‘John Farnham’s never-ending comeback tours . . . . ‘ Jana Roman


How did you decide to present the work in this way?

We share an interest in performative and interactive jewellery and liked the idea of ‘exhibiting’ our jewellery in a working environment where the social engagement is quite intimate.
And associating Gingerboy - a restaurant renowned for its creative Asian-inspired dishes - with Radiant Pavilion, would seem to be a natural alignment and celebration of diversity, artisanship, and Melbourne’s culture.
And of course there is the proximity to the stellar Gallery Funaki . . . .


What do you hope people's reaction will be?

Eli Giannini: We hope that presenting contemporary jewellery in this way will stimulate a ‘questioning of the role and function of the jewellery object - its relationship to time, place and action’ Sarah Jones and encourage a shared dialogue around ‘jewellery being about ideas’ Eli Giannini
Or simply, ‘this is delicious and that’s intriguing.’ Jana Roman


Will you continue to hold events like this in the future?

‘Yes – it offers so many options to situate the jewellery object as something other than a static fixed artefact. Sarah Jones
‘Yes …or at least variations on the theme of living exhibitions of wearable work. Maybe next time it will be a silversmithing/ vessel/ flatware performance and the works themselves will be served…’ Jana Roman
We’re very lucky to have found such willing partners in Gingerboy and their staff and we owe them huge thanks. We’d love to collaborate with them again.


Do you have a dish you recommend people try at Gingerboy in September?

‘They’re famous for the delicious Son in Law Eggs, and the Whole Fried Snapper with Vegetable Jungle Curry is amazing!’ Chris Massey


gingerboy.com.au