Christmas Shopping Mecca: Dazzle contemporary jewellery pop-up opens in Oxo Tower, selling over 4k unique pieces by 90 international designers ...

Dazzle introduce their biggest ever crop of young designer makers, handpicked from the 2018, graduate shows and showcased in a 90-strong, international line up of some of contemporary jewellery’s biggest names …

open daily until Sunday 6th Jan 2019

at gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, LONDON SE1 9PH
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The famous pop-up exhibition, which annually brings together the best of the contemporary jewellery world, is back; selling over 4,000 hand made pieces for men and women, in every conceivable style and material, from classic to quirky, pearls to plastic, by more than 80 international designers across all price ranges. The perfect place for unique Christmas gift shopping, all under one iconic roof, within the buzzing, creative, designer hub that is Southbank’s iconic Oxo Tower ...
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The original ‘contemporary jewellery’ exhibition, Dazzle had to invent the term in 1981 to describe their radical exhibits. 37 years later they are still pushing progress, supporting innovation, surprising visitors and offering exposure and a selling platform for young designers.

This year’s exhibition features a particularly strong and extensive line-up of new talent, cherry-picked from the 2018 graduate shows by co-founders Tony Gordon and Christine Bola.

“From inception, Dazzle has been about showcasing the new, the exciting, the trailblazing.” says Gordon, “Supporting new designers is a huge part of that tradition, and every year we select the best of the graduate shows to offer a Dazzle place to, chosen for the quality, innovation and craftsmanship of their work. This year offered particularly rich pickings.”
The famous pop-up exhibition, which for 37 years has annually brought the best of the contemporary jewellery world together under one London roof, is back.

Marking the start of the Christmas season, Dazzle will be selling over 4,000 hand made pieces of unique jewellery for men and women, in every conceivable style and material, from classic to quirky, pearls to plastic, understated to statement; by more than 80 international designers, across all price ranges.

In a glittering showcase of diversity, Dazzle offers a carefully curated, international line-up, drawing on 37 years in the centre of the contemporary jewellery world. From serious contemporary jewellery royalty to an exciting bunch of new talent, hand picked from the 2018 graduate shows.

As such, Dazzle is a barometer for all that's new in the sector, an annual pilgrimage for collectors, as well as the most relaxed shopping experience for Christmas shoppers or shameless self-indulgents!

And with a Dazzle Extra section to trawl through too, including fine merino lambswool scarves by Green Thomas design duo, ceramic wall hangings by Susan O'Byrne and hand made leather bags by Steven Harkin, indulgence really is the key word.

The perfect place for unique gift shopping, Dazzle takes up residency in the gallery@oxo, within the buzzing, creative, designer hub that is Southbank’s Oxo Tower. Surrounded by eateries and boutiques, and with an attentive, knowledgeable staff, Dazzle offers a rare, relaxed opportunity to try on and browse one-off, wearable pieces of art in one of London's most iconic settings.Top of the class …

The ‘picked riches’ include Aillie Anderson (2018 Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards’ Gold awards for Smallworkers 3D Design), the recent Birmingham School of Jewellery artist in residence, Abbie Gaiger, and Ella Fearon-Low, 2018 Goldsmiths’ Craftmanship & Design Council Awards’ Bronze winner of the Fashion Led Conceptual 3D Design Award. Plus an exciting crop of new talent from that gift that keeps on giving, the Glasgow
School of Art, including Aileen Gray (‘Talent Spotted’ by the Goldsmiths’ Centre), Shona Dobie (ACJ Graduate Award, Goldsmiths’ precious metals bursary and Vanilla Ink Graduate of the Year Award), Hayley Grafflin, Astrid Jaroslawsky and Dominika Kupcova.

A win, win …

“For a graduate,” Tony Gordon explains “a Dazzle invitation means an increasingly rare retail opportunity for their work, alongside an international line-up of the finest designers. It means a welcoming environment which encourages experimentation and recognises the production limitations of a new maker, and it gives them access to a huge potential support network of jewellers that have exhibited with Dazzle over the years.”

“For us, it keeps Dazzle at the cutting edge of contemporary jewellery developments,” he continues, “which has established us as an annual pilgrimage for collectors to come, ‘discover’ and make investments for the future. It ensures the diversity that Dazzle is famous for and continues Dazzle’s proudly held role of supporting the best of emerging and established design talent.”

Rubbing shoulders with designer royalty …

This talented bunch joins an illustrious and diverse who’s who of contemporary jewellery, featuring the timeless, contemporary classics of Latham & Neve, DeeLyn Walsh, Jean Scott Moncrieff, Cara Tonkin, Dot Sim and Marianne Anderson; and colourful queens of plastics, acetates and resins, Sue Gregor (now working with recycled plastic), Lesley Strickland, Kaz Robertson, Kathie Murphy and Gail Klevan. Alongside their work are masterclasses in figurative detail from Alan Ardiff, Becky Crow, Lindsey Mann, Julie Allison and Hannah Louise Lamb, strident textile pieces from Emma Calvert and sculptural and architectural precious metal designs from Scarlett Cohen-French, Grace Girvan and Heather Woof.

Plus top sellers from recent Dazzles, including Helen Noakes, with her whimsically witty resin and silver-set model railway figures, Jelka Quintelier’s filigreed, neoprene rubber statement pieces, Cristina Zani’s show-stoppers of atmospherically patinated wood and Tania Clarke Hall’s scored leather work – a favourite of Prue Leith, to be spotted in ‘the tent’.

And 2018 Dazzle newbies …

New for 2018, Dazzle also extends a warm welcome to jewellers Jo McAllister, who interestingly works with found stone tools, Lithuanian Agneta Bugyte, Francesca Urciuoli, a contemporary metalsmith, who is known to employ the 17th century Japanese technique of mokume gane, originally used to adorn swords and Christine Johnson.

Meanwhile, the annual Dazzle Extras section of hand made accessories includes the finest, softest merino lambswool scarves of St Martin’s graduate duo Green Thomas, designed and made in Scotland; with more to be announced.

Watch this space …
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editors’ notes …

• For full exhibitor list, examples and details of their work: www.dazzle-exhibitions.co.uk

• Dazzle co-directors are Tony Gordon and Christine Bola, who, 37 years ago, introduced contemporary jewellery (previously a rarefied Applied Art) to British collectors. From its first trail-blazing exhibition in Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre in 1981, they have seen contemporary jewellery explode into a mainstream, collectable art form. New materials and techniques have developed, college courses have mushroomed in popularity, and a wealth of exciting, undiscovered names has been nurtured under their direct influence. Dazzle exhibitions provide a testing ground for makers, allowing the buying public unique access to fresh and innovative ideas. From 1981 to 2012, the London Dazzle exhibited in the National Theatre, moving in 2013 to its new home, gallery@oxo in the iconic Oxo Tower. Gallery@Oxo is owned and managed by Coin Street Community Builders (www.coinstreet.org)

• Can’t make the exhibition? Dazzle also has an e-commerce site: www.lovedazzle.com, presenting the same exciting mix of established and rising talent; with over 3,000 pieces by over 80 makers representing the gamut of styles, prices, materials and pieces. Dazzle exhibition gift vouchers are available in £10 and £50 denominations from the exhibitions or from www.dazzle-exhibitions.com.
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listings information …
selling exhibition: Dazzle@oxo
venue: gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank. London, SE1 9PH
dates: Sunday 11th November 2018 – Sunday 6th January 2019
closed: 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st December 2018 and 1st January 201
opening times: 10am – 7pm (weekdays & Sat), 11am – 6pm Sundays
tel: 07774 261682 and 07472 105423 (during exhibition hours)
entrance: free
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weblinks …
www.dazzle-exhibitions.co.uk
online sales: www.lovedazzle.com
tw: @DazzleJewellery / @OxoTowerWharf
Pinterest.com/dazzleexhibit


press enquiries …
Lisa Jones, Dandelion PR
www.dandelionpr.co.uk
t: 07968 963456
e: lisa@dandelionpr.co.uk
tw: @dandylisa


images …
Regularly updated images are available to download and reproduce from the Dazzle press kit here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d4aiyotgyie958a/AABAaju1UFDU8UDBG...
Please ensure that Dazzle exhibition at Gallery@Oxo and the designer’s name are credited in any reproductions.

don’t see what you’re after …?
Looking for specific styles, themes, designers, techniques, materials or colours for a particular feature? Call the press team for a curated selection on 07968 963456.