Spot the Designer - Tetiana Chorna/ Ukraine
What did you want to be when you were a child?
Jewelry has always attracted me. I remember I made up a game. I imagined that I could combine or add up something to the jewelry worn by the people around me. I could watch them walking by and imagine their accessories for hours and hours. I loved collecting broken glass, rusty wire, and small shiny pieces of anything bright on the street. I brought these treasures home to hide them in a special secret place, and then admired them. I have never dreamt of being a jeweler, because this dream seemed too bold for me. It was almost like being a god.
When have you started creating jewelry? How did this passion come about?
I graduated from university with a diploma of an architect and worked at the architectural bureau for 15 years. My first pieces of jewelry were created to support an interior I designed. It was a kids club. My idea was to show up for the opening of this location wearing accessories that match the inner decorations. And so my journey into the world of jewelry began.
What was your first project or significant piece for you and from what point of view?
My first jewelry collection was called “The Decorations of the City”. I remember that I thought that in the previous times people used to decorate themselves with what surrounded them: flowers, bugs and bones. And in the current times we’re mostly surrounded by the cityscape. And so my accessories took the shapes of urban elements: balconies, illuminated windows, clothes drying on the open racks, sewage hatches, street signs, chewed gum stuck in unexpected places. As the time went by, some other elements were added up to this collection. The Revolution of Dignity in 2014 gave me the symbol of a car tire. And now we’re back to windows, but this time they are cross-marked with scotch-tape and mutilated by the blasts of enemy’s attacks. Many collections I create continue for many years and change with time. The idea I initially lay into my pieces unfolds as the context evolves. I watch and listen, and learn from life. And in the end it’s hard to say who is creating what. That’s fascinating.
How do you charge your batteries? What other passions and creative interests do you have?
I love to organize art-festivals, create jewelry for art-performances and communicate with artists. It inspires me a lot.
What does the connection between manufacturing tradition and contemporary design mean to you?
It provides the opportunity to save time and experiment a lot. Moreover, this connection expands the possibilities far beyond technology.
Is there a self-portrait piece that speaks most about you?
It is a collection of jewelry made for a tattoo-festival in 2015. One piece from it is a human collar (similar to a pet-collar) with an original design on it. The idea was to show that people always limit themselves to different reasons, to social, political, religious ideas and so on. And I suggest that we should see the world creatively, through the art prism, and try to take in something more than we see with our eyes.
Which material have you not yet used is a temptation and a challenge for you?
I have recently started to work with stones and enamels. I love color. Pure metal doesn’t give me enough hue.
How was the pandemic period for you as a jewelry designer?
It convinced me (yet once again) that I absolutely love making jewelry, this is what genuinely brings me pleasure. And people appreciate it.
How do you see the future of contemporary jewelry?
Jewelry moves towards art. It is an art form. It can speak of the person wearing it, it can say more than a person can tell. Maybe, one day the jewels will not just only say, but sing.
Find more about the designer Tetiana Chorna