Ruudt Peters and the Stedilijk

I wasn’t sure what to expect on meeting Ruudt Peters. He is obviously something of a figurehead for Dutch jewellery. On arrival he was very friendly and generous in spirit. He spoke about his story, his movement away from his earlier work and to a more personal one in which, as maker, his person and his practice seem inseperable. You could say he is a soulful make and therefore one who’s biography is written within the work. He looks for not only ‘surface beauty’ as he calls it but for an inner working, a reason perhaps, or an unfolding of revelation. He described the process of working with its mystery, frustrations, intuitions and gut feelings. All of these I have a sense of and It was great to hear it. “When you don’t know is the most interesting but the most difficult place to be”. “Jewellery is about communication and personal space”. His works evolve out of serious reading and research. He uses up to three years to complete a series making our short time at SCA look like a short prologue. His willingness to move into uncomfortable territory , to grow in the exploration process, to wait and listen, to challenge himself to question his own self of self, his gender and identity were all inspiring. He also explores the traditional iconography of religion in ways which are compelling and think beyond the obvious, perhaps to a deeper source for belief. He sounds like a challenging mentor but equally a genuine caring person. Following the visit we took in the Stedelijk. Where usually I enjoy a bit of an 'Art' bias I spent a lot of tim in the design floor here. A few below is just the tip of the iceberg. So much to look into back at school!

David