Claire McArdle PhD Examination Exhibition: Making Tools

THURSday 19 October 2023
5–7pm

SITE EIGHT Gallery
RMIT University, Building 2, Level 2, Room 8
Bowen Street, Melbourne

Enter via Rodda Lane for lift access

Please join us at Claire McArdle's PhD Examination Exhibition opening celebration Making Tools: exploring process in jewellery and objects

This practice-led research project explores making in a contemporary jewellery context through enquiries into methods of making and by performing acts of making.

Social science style methods were utilised to interview makers in the contemporary jewellery and object field in Melbourne about their most precious tool. The knowledge from this study provided the basis to produce the final creative outcomes and were composed into an archive.

Play was introduced into my established method of making through rumination procedures which employed illustrations and a disruptive device which utilised chance to insert pre-determined actions into the making process. This device was further tested by one hundred makers around Australia, with their experiences recorded through a survey.

The final creative outcomes were three acts of performative making which were informed by my research into methods of making and contribute to the inclusion of performative concepts in contemporary jewellery.

Viewing times
Thursday 19 October 12pm–5pm
Friday 20 October 9am–12pm

This event is part of Craft Contemporary 2023, an annual festival delivered by Craft Victoria.   

Image: Claire McArdle, WALK (performance), 2021, wearable rolling mill (recycled steel, brass, cord), Pick Me Ups (aluminium neckpieces imprinted by the roller, cord, cardboard), performed within 5km of Fitzroy during Melbourne’s sixth lockdown.