"Although I'm classically trained as a goldsmith I see myself as an artist and I create most of my work in bronze. To create in bronze is to let go and to let the substance create with you, with its unique qualities and properties.", says designer and artist Krista Kretzschmar, who credits Picasso, Giacometti for Schiaparelli, and Dalí as influences over time, in her practice of making wearable micro-sculptures in the realm of art jewellery.
Krista Kretzschmar, Magician, bronze, cubic zirconia
C-P: Functionality and utilitarian purpose doesn't necessarily stand in conflict with holding something in regard as art, but do you find yourself navigating biases and certain "boxes" others apply to you with the work that you do?
K.K: Not at all, actually. I have always seen my jewelry as small micro-sculptures and have consciously worked that way in recent years. Material choices like bronze clarify my vision of wearable art. Art jewelry as an art form is very intimate to me. Wearing one's work on the body is special and powerful.
Krista Kretzschmar
C-P: What are some other artists who you look up to who might have broken boundaries with jewelry as art?
K.K: Mainly Picasso, Giacometti for Schiaparelli, and Dalí. My husband and I were invited to a fantastic exhibition in Paris some time ago, with collected works by, among others, Picasso by goldsmith Francois Hugo.
Krista Kretzschmar, Outlaw, bronze, cubic zirconia
C-P: For your recent exhibition Archetypes 2.0, you were inspired by Carl Jung. What compelled you about that legacy, and how does that manifest in the works?
K.K: I have found Jung for some time now. His thoughts and work inspire me a lot. The group of works grew almost naturally, and I let my mood and state of mind guide the characters. The fact that the subconscious and its role is particularly interesting in art and creation. How creations are born in different ways as a (subconscious) force. Something that might not be possible to describe in words.
C-P: Backtracking your past influences in art; are there contemporary artists whose legacy and influence can be more directly traced in your work?
K.K: Giacometti and Dalí were early sources of inspiration for me. Also, Lalique and Swedish glass art.
Krista Kretzschmar, Outlaw, bronze, cubic zirconia
C-P: What's next for you?
K.K: I want to create larger scale sculptures in bronze with colored stones in clusters. This is something I have long dreamed of doing.
Ashik Zaman
Krista Kretzschmar's exhibition Archetypes 2.0 showed at Galleri Sebastian Schildt April 22 - May 6, 2023
www.kristakretzschmar.com
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