Spot the Designer - Nina Bashirian/ Iran
What did you want to be when you were a child?
When I was a child, I wanted to be a lawyer.
When have you started creating jewelry? How did this passion come about?
I have been creating jewelry for five years now. I hold a PhD in strategic management and never had any background in the field of arts. I was busy working on several projects in the field of business and was caught up in the fast-paced world of management which of course, was becoming very tiring and unrewarding. I needed to create something with my hands. I wanted to practice patience by doing the work of Art. Even during the times, I worked on projects as a manager, what I needed most was to learn to be patient. So, when I took sculpture lessons and started learning to work with various materials, I tried to develop my encounters with the process of making and by that I wanted to practice being patient. At that moment, I realized that I consider any piece of material and object as jewelry and in connection to the human body. So, I started taking courses in jewelry design and focused more on developing ideas in the form of collections.
What was your first project or significant piece for you and from what point of view?
My first professional encounters with a jewelry design project started at the beginning of 2020 which is the same project I’m sharing at this exhibition titled “the defiance”. The reason that this project is so important to me is how I started working on a jewelry design project in a practical way. It took me 14 months to work on it and before that my works were mainly experimental. Through this project, I learned to deal with a lot of challenges such as visualizing my sketches into 3-dimensional pieces which were bigger than my previous works and working with several materials and techniques and most importantly it stands at a point where it’s difficult to consider it as a contemporary piece of work or traditional. I am so glad that this project with all its challenges and difficulties will be on view and will be seen and discussed.
How do you charge your batteries? What other passions and creative interests do you have?
The only thing that charges my batteries is travelling. Although sometimes I try creating outfits by doing some colleges with fabric which still is design but mainly, I take everything off my mind by travelling.
What does the connection between manufacturing tradition and contemporary design mean to you?
In my opinion, it is important to stick to principles of design in contemporary art regardless of material and aesthetics. Sometimes, during a design process material outreaches design. For instance, many artists focus on a specific material regardless of the design process and principles which I don’t like personally. My approach might be a little traditional but I’d prefer the sort of design that identifies itself through the design process and creativity rather than an eye-catching material.
Is there a self-portrait piece that speaks most about you?
This piece is more close to an image I have of myself. It has a kind of fear when I wear the piece in opposition to its flow, simplicity, and elegance. I personally love dynamic design in jewelry and I believe we are past the era of designing passive objects. The design of this ring illustrates the nipples in the same way women recognize them- flat and fixed while fantasizing about their sensuality.
Which material have you not yet used is a temptation and a challenge for you?
The answer is Mirror. I tried working with mirrors before but couldn’t succeed because of the cutting technique limitations in Iran especially that I wanted to work in details and small-sized pieces. Sometimes I wish I could be in touch with Monir- an Iranian artist and master of working with mirror material, and learn how to work with this material. I hope I get to work on a collection at some point and use materials such as mirrors.
How was the pandemic period for you as a jewelry designer?
Making art pieces always has been a way for me to cope with tragedy and uncertainty. This challenging time helped us to understand how resilient we are and what we have within us to survive. Humans are amazing beings; we can go within to find the strength, the wisdom, the resolve and the hope to carry on and the representation of such qualities for me are my art pieces.
How do you see the future of contemporary jewelry?
In my opinion, the future of Jewelry design and every other applied art is to be determined by bold and ambitious experiences. Virtual reality will change the way we perceive and experience artistic endeavours. I think jewelry design is going to face a major change from a static experience to a dynamic approach.
Find more about Nina Bashirian