Kin Gallery’s Jewellery exhibition will leave you charmed (literally!)

Posted on 11 November, 2022

The first charm bracelets were worn by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Hittites and began appearing from 600 – 400 BC.  KIN Gallery’s latest exhibition, ‘Charmed I’m Sure’ celebrates this magical and ancient art.

Opening to the public from 18 – 20 November, ‘Charmed I’m Sure’ beautifully muddies the line between art and jewellery—one hanging charm at a time.

And while they may be small in size when strung together, their enormous storytelling powers can be felt. Sealing together memories and living close to our chest and pulse—passed, when the time is right, between generations.

As KIN owner and exhibition curator Ingrid Penc explains, the Gallery’s first exhibition (after a long COVID hiatus) encourages Canberrans to continue this legacy while honouring the mythical powers of charms themselves.

“Historically, charms have been worn with the intention of being good luck, warding off evil and protecting your health,” says Ingrid.

“They have even been known to carry you safely into the afterlife. So, we asked artists to comment on that and make their own charms based on what they felt, which has created some lovely responses.”

As you wander through the gallery, your eyes will find themselves guided upward as these hanging charms reveal their unique colours, shapes and features in a way that is both accessible and unexpectedly breathtaking.

For Ingrid, it’s the ability for viewers to interact with the charms without barriers or limitations that makes this exhibition so unique.

“We don’t do the traditional jewellery thing at KIN Gallery. We wanted people to walk in and be kind of taken aback but also intimately view the charms as well. And because the charms are hanging, you can get up nice and close and even touch and feel them because they are such a personal piece of jewellery.”

“And then, on Friday night, we can permanently weld a bracelet with your charm to you. We’ll have different necklaces and silks and all sorts of things so that people can kind of mix and match and make it their own piece.”

Artists from all over Australia have handcrafted up to five pieces each for this exhibition—taming their diverse narratives between metals and, in some cases even gemstones, as a source of material and texture. Ingrid has dabbled in the art of charm-making herself and describes this handcrafted process as beginning essentially with a metal blob. Delicately forged and even laser welded at times to create dreamy one-of-a-kind pieces.

“Some artists created little lucky health charms; others have made a political statement to events happening at the moment. Others hold a physicality as well, using buttons from family farms to tell a personal story also.

“It’s a beautiful combination and really reflects the diversity of each artist, and they also play off each other in some way. So, we’ll be grouping the charms based on the artist but also displaying them based on texture, colour, and visual appeal,” explains Ingrid.

As KIN Gallery carefully applies its final touches to the tiny yet mighty exhibition, Ingrid is excited for Canberrans to finally immerse themselves within this space—taking home memory markers that will live beyond 20 November. It’s testimony to this elegant art form, where graceful loops, folds and sunlight catchers grow with us—a charming extension of ourselves.

“They are such an intimate size, and they are hung either on your hands—which you can look at every day—or on your chest, which is quite a personal thing. So that intimate nature of them is what makes them so unique.”

“And it’s a good opportunity to see jewellery in a different light and be able to touch and experience it. I think that’s an experience that is pretty rare these days,” reflects Ingrid.