kelvin j birk
London
Kelvin J. Birk produces jewellery as well as larger objects, mainly in silver
and gold with all types of gemstones. Within his work he crushes precious
gemstones and glues them back together, sometimes in a random uncontrolled
shape, other times in a more controlled manner and then combines these stones
with jewellery pieces or objects in precious metal. Within his work he is
consciously disregarding what is traditionally considered precious. Birk revels
in a lack of control, allows chaos to take over and the nature of the precious
materials to dictate the final outcome of the pieces. His collection is
constantly developing and through different creative processes new pieces emerge
all the time, ensuring that no two are identical. Like the experiences of
personal life, there is always destruction and loss yet out of these processes
come new things and new orders. Kelvin J. Birk’s jewellery illustrates this
theme of chaos and re-creation. There is always order in chaos, we lose things
and we gain things. It is a constant. After Graduating in Goldsmithing and
jewellery making at the Berufsfachschule fuer Glas und Schmuck, Germany, Kelvin
J. Birk took his MA in Silversmithing and Jewellery (awarded with distinction)
from the Sir John Cass Faculty of Art in London, UK (1997). Kelvin exhibited at
various fairs and exhibitions in Great Britain, Europe, the USA, China and
Taiwan. His work won him several prizes and awards and he received several
grants from different funding bodies. His work has been featured in numerous
magazines, newspapers and in a range of jewellery and design books. Kelvin is
available for consultations and happy to discuss special commissions and bespoke
pieces. He became a specialist in up-cycling old jewellery, where he recycles
your unworn jewellery into a stunning new wearable piece of jewellery.
