The Museum of Arts and Design will be hosting their annual LOOT: MAD About Jewelry exhibit and shopping experience this April, and it’s sure to be one for the books. LOOT presents visitors with the opportunity to eyeball some of the most innovative pieces of jewelry from around the globe, and better yet, all of the jewelry on display is available for purchase if something special captures your attention. One of New York City’s most unique museum experiences, you won’t want to miss out on LOOT 2017, running from April 4th through April 8th at the Museum of Arts and Design.
The jewelry you’ll find at LOOT is created by makers from all over the world. This year, LOOT will be featuring artists from Iceland and Romania for the first time, as well as artists hailing from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Norway, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. That’s right, it’s going to be a full house, and many of these jewelers will be showing work for the first time in the United States. The best part of it all? All the jewelry makers will be present, meaning that you’ll have the opportunity to meet and speak with the artists behind these glamourous and delicately made pieces of craftsmanship, as well as the processes, materials, and concepts behind their creation.
LOOT: MAD About Jewelry came about as a reflection of the Museum of Arts and Design’s commitment to the exploration of materials and process. MAD doesn’t see jewelry as just jewelry, but rather as an art form worth studying and learning more about. In fact, MAD is the only American museum with a gallery dedicated to the display of both temporary jewelry exhibits and its own collection of contemporary and modern studio and art jewelry.
To further impress, Bryna Pomp, the 2017 LOOT curator, works to present pieces of jewelry that even she hasn’t seen in her decades of work in the field. Pomp welcomes 54 artists from 21 countries into this year’s show, each of whom was selected following a full year of travel and research. Here are some of the types of jewelry you can expect to see:
* Floral design jewelry made from sheer plywood
* Molten metal with minerals
* Sea glass, gold, and silver
* Unique statement necklaces made from driftwood
* Depictions of animals and birds
* Antique porcelain and earthenware materials
* Unique pieces made from horn and leather
* Recycled materials including plastic bottles, shopping bags, and tableware
“This annual five-day pop-up store is a one-of-a-kind event. I am thrilled to introduce these fifty-four contemporary jewelry artists to the New York City community. The opportunity to buy these unique pieces of jewelry, and to meet the artists while supporting the Museum and its mission, is very meaningful to me.” — Marsy Mittlemann, 2017 LOOT Chairman
Ana Hagopian
“MAD and LOOT celebrate not only the work of artists, but also the artists themselves. The artists love relinquishing the relative isolation of their individual studios to discuss their jewelry with LOOT visitors and to meet their international colleagues. In this way, MAD fulfills its mission not only to the public but to the artists.” — Bryna Pomp, 2017 LOOT Curator
“I cannot wait to experience the jewelry firsthand. Jewelry is my main accessory, and one of the most important parts of my wardrobe apart from my own clothes,” Rhodes said. “Quite often, the jewelry is the talking point. My collection of modern jewelry and ceramics was my first step to surrounding myself with fabulous modern-day works of art. To me, collecting jewelry is equally as important as collecting paintings.” — Dame Zandra Rhodes, 2017 LOOT Honorary Chair
Marianne Batlle
Sale Hours
Tuesday, April 4: 10 am to 7 pm
Wednesday, April 5: 10 am to 8 pm
Thursday, April 6: 10 am to 9 pm
Friday, April 7: 10 am to 6 pm
Saturday, April 8: 10 am to 6 pm
Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, madmuseum.org
