Ontwerp voor een ring 1913

Curator: The "Ontwerp voor een ring," or Design for a Ring, created in 1913 by Mathieu Lauweriks, uses ink on paper. It’s intriguing, isn't it? It shows the design laid out on what seems to be grid paper. Editor: Yes, the graph paper really catches my eye! It seems like the grid almost becomes part of the artwork itself. What do you see in the relationship between the drawing and its support? Curator: Precisely! Consider the implications. Lauweriks lays bare the means of production, incorporating the grid into the aesthetic. This undermines the preciousness typically associated with jewelry design. It invites questions: What sort of labor went into this piece? And how might its intended wearer’s social class affect the commission and ultimate design? Editor: That’s fascinating! It shifts the focus from the finished object to the design process itself. I guess it acknowledges design and drawing as labor? Curator: Absolutely. We might even see a commentary on the industrialization of art and design happening at the time. How does the drawing depict the ring and the making of jewelry more generally? Editor: Well, there are no luxurious gems here, only black ink and a geometric flower shape on a gridded page. The lines and construction remind me of architectural drawings. It feels functional and proto-industrial in a way. Curator: It's a subversion of traditional notions of value. The value isn't in the "precious" materials, but in the intellectual labor, the design itself, presented on readily available, almost mundane material. The materials suggest the intended mode of production. Editor: I never considered the social implications of jewelry design like this! I appreciate the focus on process, labor, and challenging established ideas of art. Thanks! Curator: And I'm grateful for your fresh insights on materials and their effect on production; it helps us unpack Lauweriks' message!