Basic geometry thumbnail 1
Basic geometry thumbnail 2
+1
images
Not on display

Basic geometry

Ring
2008 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Marjorie Schick (1941-2017) was a contemporary American jeweller noted for her large scale, colourful jewels made from non-traditional materials such as fabric, papier maché and wood. She was born in Taylorville, Illinois in 1941 and studied jewellery design and metalsmithing at Indiana University, Bloomington under Alma Eikerman. She taught jewellery at Pittsburg State University, Kansas and was Professor of Art from 1967 to 2017. Although Marjorie Schick was very much an American jeweller, she had a strong association with London, spending sabbaticals at the Sir John Cass School of Art and at the Middlesex Polytechnic.

Her work is characterised by its scale and was influenced by abstract art and by the European ‘New jewellery’ of the 1960s which freed jewellers to imagine a wider range of materials and techniques.. She described her jewellery as ‘sculptures to wear’ and it is notable both for its large size and for the way in which it extends past the boundaries of the body. Her 'Ring of Fire' neckpiece, also in the V&A collection shares the scale, ambition and sense of colour of the 'Basic Geometry' ring sets.

The three rings with their associated stands in the ‘Basic Geometry’ set are wood painted in yellow, purples and greens, grey, black and white. The stands form an integral part of the work. In an interview for the ‘Art Jewelry Forum’ in 2016, she explained that her work ‘is art that can and should be worn but can also function independently of the body. My work isn’t supposed to be stored in a jewelry box or in a drawer but out in the open, on the wall, somewhere that it exists 24/7/365, not just when it’s worn.’ The three-dimensional geometry of the rings allows them to be worn but creates a bold, eye catching sculpture when resting upon their stand. The rings demonstrate the way in which contemporary jewellers have interrogated the basic form and function of the ring and used it to create artistic and sculptural objects.

Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Ring
  • Stand
TitleBasic geometry (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Painted wood
Brief description
Green and purple ring with stand, painted wood, designed and made by Marjorie Schick, USA, 2008
Physical description
Ring and stand of painted wood. The stand is in the shape of an irregular concave hexagon, with two parallel sides, standing on six painted wooden ball feet. The upper and lower parts of the stand are painted in shades of green with orange and purple accents. A wooden zigzag and set of concentric semi-circles have been applied to the upper surface.

The ring is made of three interlocked geometric shapes with applied semi-circular and zigzag details. It has been painted in green, orange, purple, black and white. A circular aperture for the finger has been cut into the largest element.
Dimensions
  • Length: 19cm (stand)
  • Width: 19cm (stand)
  • Height: 3.5cm (stand)
  • Height: 6.5cm (ring - maximum height)
  • Length: 12cm (ring - maximum)
  • Width: 8.5cm (ring - maximum)
Marks and inscriptions
M.Schick, 2008

Note
Signature of maker. Signed in black pen on the base of the stand.
Credit line
Given by Robert A. Hiller
Object history
Marjorie Schick's jewellery has been exhibited widely. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum; the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Japan; the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; the Museum of Art and Design in New York City.
Summary
Marjorie Schick (1941-2017) was a contemporary American jeweller noted for her large scale, colourful jewels made from non-traditional materials such as fabric, papier maché and wood. She was born in Taylorville, Illinois in 1941 and studied jewellery design and metalsmithing at Indiana University, Bloomington under Alma Eikerman. She taught jewellery at Pittsburg State University, Kansas and was Professor of Art from 1967 to 2017. Although Marjorie Schick was very much an American jeweller, she had a strong association with London, spending sabbaticals at the Sir John Cass School of Art and at the Middlesex Polytechnic.

Her work is characterised by its scale and was influenced by abstract art and by the European ‘New jewellery’ of the 1960s which freed jewellers to imagine a wider range of materials and techniques.. She described her jewellery as ‘sculptures to wear’ and it is notable both for its large size and for the way in which it extends past the boundaries of the body. Her 'Ring of Fire' neckpiece, also in the V&A collection shares the scale, ambition and sense of colour of the 'Basic Geometry' ring sets.

The three rings with their associated stands in the ‘Basic Geometry’ set are wood painted in yellow, purples and greens, grey, black and white. The stands form an integral part of the work. In an interview for the ‘Art Jewelry Forum’ in 2016, she explained that her work ‘is art that can and should be worn but can also function independently of the body. My work isn’t supposed to be stored in a jewelry box or in a drawer but out in the open, on the wall, somewhere that it exists 24/7/365, not just when it’s worn.’ The three-dimensional geometry of the rings allows them to be worn but creates a bold, eye catching sculpture when resting upon their stand. The rings demonstrate the way in which contemporary jewellers have interrogated the basic form and function of the ring and used it to create artistic and sculptural objects.
Collection
Accession number
M.19:1-2-2018

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdFebruary 9, 2018
Record URL
Download as: JSON