Social doyen and roving Voxfrock contributor Shiva “Count Shiva” Singam, describes a rare evening at jewellery gallery e.g.etal with the extraordinary designer Julia deVille.
Photographs: Meagan Harding
….How can I recall the past? when I can’t even remember your face, I can’t even remember your voice.
All I’ve got is your jewellery casket and your writing in chalk, probably not worth a lot.
I save the casket for the moments of loss that feel like I’m scraping nails down a wall with no foothold.
Within the lining I can, if I concentrate, recall your scent. Sometimes I open up your old casket and wear it sparingly. Loose as it may be, it’s as though you’re reality, and touching me.
Emersed in these moments, I cherish that you’ll always be someone I once knew…..
On a blustery and drenched night, the sky burdened with heavy grey clouds, a group of a dozen or so fashion observers and media types were invited to e.g.etal, to escape the drudgery of life and be scintillated by a new and substantial collection of fine jewellery by renowned taxidermist, artist and designer extraordinaire, Julia deVille, at an intimate supper soirée.
Julia deVille is that breed of artist flamed by a passionate commitment to a singular philosophy; the celebration of life and death. Whether in her taxidermy or jewels, this philosophy forms the leitmotiv of all her work. DeVille firmly believes that life and the being that housed it, should long be remembered and celebrated, even after the spirit has ebbed away. Hence her interest in taxidermy, which oft features the carcasses of varied domestic or wild fauna, beautifully preserved and always embellished. In effect, it is her way of gentle protest, against the consumption and waste of animals. DeVille is a dedicated vegan and the supper in her honor followed suit.
We had congregated to view deVille’s new jewellery collection, Can the voices of the living be heard by the dead, named for a line of a Nick Cave song. And, what a mighty offering deVille has given us! The 60 strong collection, deVille’s largest yet, features engagement rings, cocktail rings, pendants, necklaces and bracelets and boasts precious and semi precious gemstones in various silver and gold settings.
In keeping with deVille’s philosophy, the celebration of life and death, we see a resurrection of the 15th to 18th century tradition of Memento Mori and Victorian Mourning jewellery. In both art forms, jewellery is designed as a keepsake of the departed, to be handed down as an heirloom. DeVille has, with sheer genius, modernized the art of keepsake jewellery, rendering it contemporary. Colour, shape and scale are also key elements of deVille’s new collection. In both taxidermy and jewellery, she has taken to experimenting with size. Pearl strands are oversized, feature baroque misshapen gems and clever clasps with delicate bone embellishment in gold.
DeVille’s gem studded rings, a medium where her exemplary design skill has manifest in jewellery of extraordinary beauty, are composed of colored sapphires, lemon quartz, smoky quartz, emeralds, rubies and diamonds (white, cognac and black). It is with the rings that one can truly appreciate her talent and ability to modernize jewellery for today’s wearer.
Though deVille utilizes traditional jewellery techniques, such as claw settings in the design of her rings, compositions are new, featuring asymmetrical arrangements with large and small gemstones seemingly at unison, rather than to stand out ostentatiously as singular features. Very cleverly, her rings are designed to be worn stacked, a style strongly encouraged by the designer. She has even monikered this way of ring assemblage calling it ‘the JDV stack’.
Julia deVille has understood the woman or man who will wear her designs. They are persons for whom the jewellery embellish them, rather than the reverse. Jewellery is
not worn for ostentation, but for the unique culmination of understanding design, adorning oneself and to celebrate a cherished moment in life. A piece of jewellery that will carry the flame of celebration of life and death in this incarnation and beyond through successive wearers.
Can the voices of the living be heard by the dead? Indeed with much aplomb and bravado, Julia deVille tells us they can.
Julia deVille’s collection can be viewed at e.g,etal till November 9th 2013 at 167 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
