The Radiant Pavilion, Melbourne’s premier jewellery biennial, is set to showcase a wide array of jewellery and objects from September 14 to 22. This event will celebrate both local and international artists through 60 events across inner Melbourne.
Described as the largest biennial of its kind in the southern hemisphere, Radiant Pavilion will feature contemporary jewellery from countries including Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK, and the US.
The event will highlight works from artists such as mixed-cultural First Nations artist Lisa Waup, multidisciplinary artist Aphra Cheesman, contemporary jeweller Joungmee Do, craft artist Cara Johnson, and object maker Claire McArdle.
This year’s biennial marks its first in-person event since 2019. Artistic Director Chloë Powell expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to “offer so many ways to discover, engage, and reconnect with top contemporary jewellery and object-making from both Australia and around the world.”
Among the notable exhibits is “River Bloom,” a site-specific artwork created from over 3,000 discarded tennis balls collected from the Birrarung River. Another highlight is “Curios from Country,” which explores the relationship between form and function.
Jewellers Sue Buchanan, Mary Hackett, and Leonie Westbrook will engage in a discussion about the potential uses of the commonly discarded “tin can,” often used to extend the shelf-life of food products like baked beans.
In “Kidenere,” Belinda Newick reflects on her experience with the kidney exchange program between Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand through a series of chains.
The exhibits “All is Intimate” and “Sift” blend contemporary jewellery, sculptural objects, and sound. “All is Intimate” features Michaela Pegum’s exploration of how her background in contemporary dance influences her jewellery and object-based work. “Sift” is a collaborative show by artists Liv Boyle and Sara Retallick, combining jewellery and sculpture with an interactive window pane that functions as a speaker.
Group exhibitions include “Deep Material Energy III,” which brings together eight artists from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, and “shared: ground,” featuring seven First Nations artists who push the boundaries of contemporary First Nations art.
Powell emphasized that the biennial enhances Melbourne’s reputation as Australia’s creative and cultural capital. “Radiant Pavilion highlights contemporary jewellery and objects, contributing significantly to this cultural landscape,” she said.