Bracelet c. 1950

This bracelet was made by A'shiwi (Zuni) artists, and its interlocking turquoise nuggets and silver create a stunning matrix. Think of the labor involved, the patient and repetitive process of setting each stone! Each little mark and setting becomes a gesture, building into a larger whole. There's a real material intelligence here, a deep understanding of how the elements come together. I am drawn to the contrast between the cool, hard silver and the vibrant, almost fleshy turquoise. The stones vary in color, some leaning towards green, others bluer, and this variation gives the piece a pulse, a sense of movement. It reminds me a bit of Eva Hesse’s sculptures in its use of repetition and subtle variation to create something both rigorous and organic. Art, whether it's a bracelet or a sculpture, is all about these conversations across time and form, isn't it?