At the solo exhibition THE BOUNDS OF BOUNDARIES, Maarja Niinemägi presents sculptural rings that extensively combine materials and technologies, such as titanium, buffalo horn, ebony, engraving, riveting, and anodizing. The creation of large-scale abstract jewellery is a creative practice that plays with the boundaries of design and jewellery art – a journey the artist started already in 2005. Maarja Niinemägi writes:
“I seek a shape that does not directly allude to the ring, a form distinct from the conventional. A ring could be a piece of art even when not worn on a finger.
Unaware of the dimensions of the jewellery piece while looking at a photo of it, a person may be surprised by its actual size in real life. I aim to design these rings playfully keeping in mind the function of a ring but evading the limits of its traditional form.
My desire is to develop and discover nuances inside the shapes forming the rings. The rings can be worn and viewed as independent objects, connecting small details and designs – creating philosophical landscapes. On each ring a small story sets a scene.”
The exhibition is funded with the help of Estonian Cultural Endowment.
Maarja Niinemägi is a jewellery artist and designer based in Tartu. She has participated in exhibitions since 1997, leading her to various parts of the world, including Europe, China, America, and Australia. Niinemägi obtained her education in jewellery art from the Estonian Academy of Arts, where she earned her master’s degree in arts with honours in 2008. As an exchange student and intern in Idar-Oberstein, Germany, she also acquired skills in gemstone engraving. Her works are part of the collection of the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, the Alice and Louis Koch Ring Collection in Switzerland, and other private collections in Estonia and abroad. Maarja Niinemägi has been a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association since 2011 and the Estonian Association of Designers since 2014.