Necklace c. 20th century

This necklace, made by an anonymous artist, is composed of small beads, carefully strung together. The beads are mostly a faded aqua color, like the sea on a cloudy day, interspersed with the odd flash of orange. I'm struck by the way the overall effect is so delicate, almost fragile, yet there's something really strong and resilient about the repetitive process that went into its making. Imagine stringing all these tiny beads one by one, a meditative act, a kind of personal ritual. Look closely and you can see how the slightly irregular forms of the beads create subtle shifts in the overall texture of the necklace. It reminds me of the work of Sheila Hicks, who also uses repetitive gestures to create complex and emotionally resonant forms. Ultimately, the necklace is a testament to the power of art to transform simple materials into something deeply meaningful.