Kelly McDonald, Down pipe, 2020. Bangle, steel and brass, 80 x 45 x 75mm. Courtesy: the artist and Stanley Street Gallery, Sydney.

Stanley Street Gallery presents the work of 11 New Zealand artists from the Handshake Project, an initiative that brings together established and early career artists specialising in wearable art, are exhibiting artwork that connects to the context of jewellery and its traditions. Makers of Traditional Change – The Conventional Reformed marks the Handshake Project’s third exhibition at Stanley Street Gallery.

The premise for Makers of Traditional Change – The Conventional Reformed, is to respond to widely known jewellery traditions. Rendering new opportunities for contemporary wearable art, the artists have been asked to consider the physical, functional and cultural connotations related to traditional jewellery. By reinterpreting these modes, through unconventional materials and concepts, the artists ask the viewer or the wearer, to re-evaluate their preconceived ideas of why objects are worn.

Artists featured include Kelly McDonald, Becky Bliss, Caroline Thomas, Kristin D’Agostino, Kylie Sinkovich, Lisa Higgins, Mandy Flood, Nik Hanton, Sandra Schmid, Sarah Walker-Holt and Vivien Atkinson.

The gallery is open and practicing COVID-19 social distancing measures.