Museum gotta see 'um

Twelve years ago, Dutch jewelry and product designer Gijs Bakker began dialogues with other designers about jewelry and its place in the modern world. Moving past the conventional concept of simple decoration and an investment in gold or stones, the goal was to define the value of a piece of jewelry by the fineness of its concept, not its materials. With this end in mind, artists have interpreted themes such as "Sense of Wonder” into a golden computer key, "What’s Luxury?” into a chain of gold nuggets, and "Rituals” into a porcelain wishbone necklace. (Chi ha paura…? translates to "Who’s afraid of … contemporary jewelry?”)

Museum Executive Director JoAnn Edwards says, "Designers on Jewelry challenges conventions in jewelry through its highly inventive pieces. The San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design is delighted to offer the Bay Area this unique opportunity to explore innovations in craft and design through contemporary jewelry.”

The San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design building at 550 Sutter St. near Union Square was a prestigious art and antiques store in its early years in the ‘20s, and then became home to famed designer Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door Salon in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

For more information visit http://www.sfmcd.org or call (415) 773-0303. Designers on Jewelry: 12 Years of Jewelry Production by Chi ha paura…? runs through May 16, 2010.