The sight of jewelry depicting intimate parts—a penis necklace, vulva necklace, breast necklace, and especially my pieces featuring vulvas and penises adorned with a pearl drip— occasionally stirs negative reactions. Some people begin to look uncomfortable the instant they recognize what they're seeing. I once had a woman tell me that a breast tie tack, designed with the expected nipple, was not "tasteful." I could not understand why she would find it obscene. Anyone who has visited a museum or fine art gallery has at some point stood face-to-face with a human depicted in the nude. Or, is it somehow very different when it is in wearable form?
While a few responses lean toward disapproval, many more people tend to find humor in the designs. Many others have a deeper artistic appreciation for them. Each reaction is valid, of course. We all come from different backgrounds and hold distinct beliefs about the human body.
The reason I started crafting jewelry that highlights our most intimate features—our so-called "private parts"—is rooted in a personal struggle to understand why these body parts have been hyper-sexualized for ages. Society seems fixated on them, reducing their significance to what can be gained from them. Usually, fleeting pleasure. This fixation deems them as dirty, shameful, sinful, and even comical. They are often taken for granted, disrespected, and even exploited. With how frequently we see them depicted, even grossly showcased, it's ironic that they're labeled "private" at all.
Whether due to religion, cultural norms, or the pervasive male or female gaze, these parts—breasts, penises, vaginas, and derrières—are often viewed as something less than sophisticated, elegant, and delicate. Through my work, I aim to challenge these deep-rooted perceptions and reclaim a sense of ownership and reverence for these parts of ourselves, which should be seen as more than just sexual objects, more often. I would love for us to learn to appreciate our unique qualities and those qualities we have in common. I am not always successful at this. It turns out that it is hard to change the perception and the feelings that some of us have about showcasing the human body. It can be difficult to elevate these body parts with respect, sophistication, and elegance in some peoples' eyes, no matter how hard I try.
For some pieces, I’ve drawn inspiration from Roman and Greek art, particularly the sculptures that portray women and men nude in elegant, dignified poses. That's the feeling I’m trying to evoke—seeing the human body as royal, as a magnificent work of art—every bit of it.
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