argonauts + antipodes – Kristin D’Agostino 2010
copper, ball chain, steel pin, polymer clay
Latest comment from Joey (Aug/September 2010)
I wore my BOM ‘Argonauts and Antipodes’ like a piercing on my favourite T-shirt the 1st time & the kids I teach loved it. The 7th formers saw its brilliance. Each time I reached for that T-shirt I wanted to war “A & A” too! Unfortunately after one frantic day in the Art Room I thought I’d lost it but later found it on the floor. I got too scared to wear it after that!! But I loved it!!
Joey xx
Thank you Bronwynne for such amazing comments in the journal! It is a thing of beauty. The brooch got heaps of wear and an adventure to Syndey. Bronwynne’s account of her experience and fantastic suggestions about pin adjustments and chain length were extremely helpful to me.
I find that there is a huge difference between wearing something I have made and giving it to someone else to wear. Having made the piece, I seem to intrinsically know its faults and compensate subconsciously. But when someone new experiences the same piece and keeps a detailed account of it, as Bronwynne has done, it is immensely helpful.
The one thing I didn’t clarify for the wearers is that this is a piece of components from a series that was intended to be rearranged. So it is ok if the ball chain comes out, it can be snapped back into place. Also, I publicly admit to ‘testing out’ a new kind of pin. And I therefore accept responsibility for the pin falling off. I do not want to burden the wearers with fear of losing the piece.
This is supposed to be happy wearing…. So go forth and wear fearlessly and with fervor!!! Thanks again Bronwynne for such fantastic wearing.
-kristin
I have had some really interesting experiences with this brooch. It reflects the ancient Pacific culture of found object, adornment and trade.
It has been strung on my heavy-weight jacket zipper, which is an eclectic way to accessorize. Many comments have been received due to much intrigue on the part of viewers. Comments relate to “coral, bone, collections and composition”.
This is definitely a brooch with a difference, and is edging towards being funky, quirky and deconstructed in its contemporary context.
I like it a lot!
Thank you Kristin
Best, Jillian
Sorry Kristin, yours is the brooch I never knew – blame that John Parker character. I guess I’ll forgive him – the Arts Foundation Laureate Award is pretty important and the jet setting around the country with that and other shows means he can stack up a few good reasons for sitting on your brooch this month! So I’ll have to find another way to find out what it is like to wear a piece of your work ….
We must all be in summer holiday mode – the blog has gone quiet. Not many opportunities for brooch wearing these past weeks – apart from going out for essentials at the supermarket and the hardware shop/garden centre where everyone is in scruffy holiday gear, moi included. With a quick bit of rearranging thanks to Bev I have ended up with Kristin’s brooch for the month as well as Renee’s. Kristin’s offering is another of the easy-wear brooches (in contrast to Renee’s blooming big brooch for example. However, the pin on ‘Argonaut’s and antipodes’ is not for the weak sighted or those lacking some manual dexterity but a natty little idea nonetheless. So while the next swap is still a month away, I can see that slipping by quite quickly …. but still time for brooch wearing as we all head back to work.
Kristen’s brooch is great – I love the combination of discrete elements and enjoy the movement. It is a mechanical sort of brooch along the lines of Lynsay’s and I’ve decided that I rather like these ‘industrial’ brooches.
Viewers seemed quite fascinated by it and wanted primarily to know what the white piece was made of. Many also wanted to touch it which rather surprised me. Once again, strangers who remarked on the work were intrigued by the concept of the BOM and there is a young waitress who was surprised to find out that older women can have so much fun with works of art.
There seems to have been more fascination with the structure of the brooch’s elements than with what it might be or with what it might mean. I did get a few comments about it looking like a twig or a body part and one viewer, who was aware of Malinowski’s work in the Trobriands, thought that the chain could represent a collection of beads or shells. However the wackiest idea would have to be that it looked like a pair of trousers hung on a washing line! I rather liked that but can’t say I’ve ever thought so much of that particular chore to want to wear a representation of it on my chest.
Knowledge of the name of the work certainly seems to direct one’s thoughts.
To me this combination of separate items seems like a collection – a group of treasured pieces that have been put together for safe-keeping perhaps. It seems that the white piece is a talisman, a marker of membership or status that has been anchored on a chain for security. Like all the BOM brooches it certainly acts as a badge of membership when worn to events such as an exhibition opening at Objectspace where jewellers and jewellery-admirers congregate.
Works best on black. The catch seemed very fragile but easy enough to manipulate once shown how. I was initially concerned about the security of the fastening but wore the brooch many times with no hassles whatsover. All credit to the maker.
Thanks Kristen for a great brooch. Wearing it has given me much pleasure. I don’t really want to pass it on.
Aug/September 2010
I wore my BOM ‘Argonauts and Antipodes’ like a piercing on my favourite T-shirt the 1st time & the kids I teach loved it. The 7th formers saw its brilliance. Each time I reached for that T-shirt I wanted to war “A & A” too! Unfortunately after one frantic day in the Art Room I thought I’d lost it but later found it on the floor. I got too scared to wear it after that!! But I loved it!!
Joey xx
List 12 words to describe the experience of wearing the brooch:
Brooch number 1
• Risky
• Anxious playful
• Mysterious
• Gets noticed
• Feels like a charm (for what?)
• Needs Care and Attention
• Articulate
If this brooch was a fortune cookie what would it say?
wearer: “look out for a tall dark stranger, who will cross your path).
When choosing jewellery do you look for something to outwardly express your identify or do you pick something that you are fascinated by?
When I buy jewellery it’s completely spontaneous. I usually see it – and go ‘ I love that’ consequentially my collection is very eclectic. I’m not usually attracted by precious stones, for instance Diamonds. I like quirky unusual – using unusual materials – i.e. rubber, aluminum, pebbles, etc.
I was delighted when I received Kristin’s brooch. It looked like a collection of things that I would be attracted to, especially the porcelain like ‘twig’ shard. The movement of the chain was attractive too as it moved with your body.
The next thing I discovered was that a brooch is only as good as its’ catch; on the day I received it it dropped off twice. This alarmed me. I suggested to Kristin that she made a longer shank, so the pin would not come out, and so I could wear it with confidence, a bit like Colgate’s. I will look forward not to comments from other sources. It’s kind of shamanistic.
The brooch has been returned. Kristin modified catch so it no longer out but still quite hard to put on –
Wore the brooch to Objectspace opening – ‘Best in Show’ – people where interested by the white element – it looks like a torso, a heart valve, a dogs bone, some people relate it with a bathroom plug (the chain).
Alas the brooch has broken again, as I bent down in the garden it caught ona twig and when I stood up the chain pulled out of the copper fitting.
Although initially I was charmed by the brooches movement, I now think it could be a problem. Perhaps if it was shorter, and didn’t swing around so much. Or is it because of hard and soft metals being incompatible.
I don’t think I will wear it again, I’m worried about it breaking again. That’s sad because I was hoping to war it in Sydney –
Ciela Vie!
Wearing the Brooch in Sydney –
We came to Sydeny for a short break to loot at galleries, and see friends. I wore the brooch on my black coat, it sits better now that Kristin has shortened the chain. I think it looks best on black. On Sunday night I wore it to a friend’s house. He is an industrial designer, he designs trains. He said he didn’t like the brooch because it reminded him of bathroom fittings (the chain). He collects watches and rides horses. It has been fun – thanks, Kristin
12.4.10
I love the concept of Kristin’s brooch, I definitely see the white threaded part as a twig, most people seem to see twig/branch which I like. I have found it a delicate brooch but surprisingly robust, we have had our moments, catching on things but no harm down. I have found the pin hole for the catch a challenge at times but this is partially because I am at that time of life when I should wear my glasses to do such fine things but it seems such a hassle and acknowledgement of age…
Its been an easy brooch to slip on and wear – I agree best on black for me but also on my grey coat.
Thanks Kristin
This one was easy for me to wear on a white shirt and I wore it twice. Till I read the notes in the book and then worried about its fragility. Sometimes you can have too much information about art. Happily my partner wasn’t concerned about it’s fragility (It was a plus she said …) and was happy to give it an outing –
Described as the anti-brooch – some liked the plug chain, most did not like the form
There was great interest in the pin holding the brooch.
6.3.11
Only one chance to wear… not quite my style, though quite liked it as a work of art. Quite elegant in a non-brooch way. To me a much more ‘female’ brooch than many, which could be worn by either sex. Perhaps because more of a moving piece, as opposed to static.
As I was at festival events and nobody that I knew, unfortunately no comments. Ok re: finding – perhaps earlier problems fixed.