FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

JEWELRY AS WEARABLE ART IN “SYMBIOSIS”

ALEXANDRA HART’S SOLO SHOW COMBINES METALSMITHING WITH BIOLOGY

SAN DIEGO (August 24, 2017) ‑ Sparks Gallery is pleased to present the opening of San Diego artist Alexandra Hart's solo show (“Alexandra Hart: symbiosis / A Solo Show”) on September 30 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The exhibition is a manifestation of the artist's interpretation of jewelry as wearable art, and will feature collaborative talks and demonstrations throughout the duration of the show.

Alexandra Hart presents an original collection of works heavily informed by biology, the rich history and traditions of metalsmiths, and relationships - between people, objects, and nature. Sparks Gallery is delighted to welcome Hart and collaborator Tea Ninkovic, an inventive, LA-based couturier for this richly textured exhibition. 

“This exhibition is inspired by natural symbiotic relations. In each piece, I strive to achieve an ‘aesthetic symbiosis’ of abstract sculptural ideas, traditional jewelry forms, and the human body. I designed each piece to act on the body as if it were a distinct organism living with its host. Each work offers the wearer and the viewer an opportunity to ask: ‘How do I relate to my jewelry?’ In creating much of the work, I collaborated closely with my colleague Tea Ninkovic, a couturier. In addition, the Sparks Gallery has long encouraged the ideas expressed in this show. My art has always been inspired by the marvels of life and biological science. I offer this exhibition as a tribute to the symbiotic relationship between art and science.” 
- Alexandra Hart

Exhibition Dates: September 30, 2017 through December 3, 2017

Opening Reception: September 30, 2017, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (RSVP Required)

Opening reception wine sales & raffle to benefit Ethical Metalsmiths, a non-profit advocacy organization founded in 2004 that strives to engage jewelry students, to bring attention to the responsible and pioneering practices of independent jewelers, and to increase responsibility in the jewelry industry overall. 

RSVP required for opening night via this webpage: http://sparksgallery.com/exhibitions/exhibition-alexandra-hart-solo-show-symbiosis

In addition to the opening reception September 30th, Alexandra Hart will join Sparks Gallery for a series of events to explore the thematics, materials, and techniques fundamental to a deep appreciation of this body of work:

ART MEETS SCIENCE - SYMBIOSIS EXPLORED: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017 – SIX TO EIGHT PM: An evening of discussion between artist Alexandra Hart and geologist and biologist J. David Archibald, whose research centers on the evolutionary history of mammals and extinction, exploring the symbiotic relationship between art and science.

METALSMITHING DEMO: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017 – SIX TO EIGHT PM: Spend an informative evening with artist Alexandra Hart, learning about the techniques and materials that inform her craft and observing the artist in action.

About Alexandra Hart:

Alexandra Hart is known for her sophisticated and artful couture jewelry and metal sculpture. With a B.S. in Studio Art with a Jewelry concentration from Skidmore College and a M.F.A in Metalcrafts and Jewelry from the Rochester Institute of Technology, fashion experience designing for Lagerfeld and Givenchy jewelry, and with fine jewelry design and manufacturing with Barbara Heinrich Studio, she has achieved the synergy among artistic inspiration, high design and skillful craftsmanship that many artists spend their entire careers chasing. Hart displays her work with fine jewelry retailers, bringing her dramatic aesthetic vision to the competitive luxury market with the highest standards of quality and business ethics.

Invited to exhibit nationally in both galleries and museums including California Center for the Arts Escondido Museum, Mingei International Museum, Oceanside Museum of Art and The Athenaeum, La Jolla, she has received several awards, such as Centurion Emerging Designer Award, the Draper Award for Outstanding One Person Exhibition at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, and finalist in the American Couture Jewelry Awards and Niche Awards. Her work has received national and international consumer and trade press coverage, from Metalsmith, Lapidary Journal, JCK, Modern Jeweler, Brides Magazine and Ornament (all USA), to Jewelry World Review (Thai), Fashion Quarterly (CAN), Australian Vogue and KAREN Magazine (AUS).

About the Gallery:

Located in the Gaslamp Quarter of downtown San Diego, the Sparks Gallery (Est 2013) is housed in the historic Sterling Hardware Building between Island and Market on Sixth Avenue. Sparks Gallery represents contemporary artwork by artists living in San Diego and Southern CA. 

The Gallery was awarded the 2015 People in Preservation Award for Adaptive Reuse by Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO). The Gallery serves as an event venue offering art exhibitions, art workshops, seminars and private events.

Gallery hours are Monday through Friday: 12pm-7pm, Saturday 11am-7pm, and Sunday 11am-5pm. Private appointments also available by calling (619) 696-1416. For more information, visit sparksgallery.com