Chain reaction

‘Still to this day, I cannot figure out how to describe what I do in one sentence. It is jewellery, it is art, it is wearable. If I could make a new word, like jewelart, or jart, I series translated into gold and titanium cuffs, rings, dog-tag necklaces and pendants. ‘I’ve known Rashid for years – he’s exceptional on all levels,’ says Swig. ‘I’m fascinated with the idea of taking an artist’s body of work and bringing it into another medium, jewellery art. The scale and enormity of Rashid’s work made it super compelling.’ Having previously worked with many formidable women artists, Swig was intrigued to explore male energy in the world of jewellery. The resulting pieces are described by Swig as gender-fluid, and intended to be worn by ‘men, women, everybody’. Swig and Johnson began developing ideas back in December 2019. Their visions quickly aligned: ‘He didn’t want 40 different ideas. He loves rings, necklaces and cuffs, and these are the styles we thought would be a great blank canvas for his work.’ Masculine titanium (‘far more interesting than silver’), rich gold with ‘an unexpected softness’, and precious stones, including rubies and diamonds, are used throughout. Every aspect of production, from the graphic design to the crafting of the jewellery and the creation of the packaging boxes, happens in Italy. ‘The workmanship and artistry there is unprecedented,’ says Swig. Needless to say, the global pandemic created challenges, yet every piece was as beautifully realised as they had hoped. ‘I think it’s a testament to who I work with,’ says Swig. ‘Not only are they technically the best, they also soulfully understand your intentions.’