Fresh Metals
The history of jewelry is saturated with gendered associations. In many cultures, there are different types of jewelry for men and women and they signify different aspects of socially prescribed gender roles.
Lola Brooks, Chatelaine, 1996, gift of the artist, 2001.065 a-d
In America, just like cooking, needlework, housekeeping, and child-rearing, jewelry has commonly been associated with the “feminine.” This collection of jewelry and objects contains playful, sentimental, and satirical references to gender and domestic space.
Jim Cotter, Fish Stick Fork, 1974, bronze, gift of Jamie Bennett, 2005.046.003
The elaborate and powerful piece in this top image is by New Paltz graduate Lola Brooks. It resembles a historical form of adornment called a Chatelaine. Originally a kind of keychain for the “lady of the castle,” These decorative belt hooks were worn at the waist and featured a series of suspended chains mounted with useful household appendages such as sewing or kitchen tools, watches, house seals, and, of course, keys. Worn only by women, a Chatelaine was often a status symbol because it signified that the wearer was the head of the household.
Anya Kivarkis, Brooch, 2005, gift of the artist, 2005.003e
The implements suspended from this contemporary version recall basic sewing tools: an encased thimble, pincushion, and tape measure. However, these items have an armored quality that brings to my mind weapons and shields. The pincushion in the center, studded with points-out pins reminds me of a mace, and the “tape measure” is serrated metal, like a saw blade. Brooks may be suggesting that in this world where violence against women is all too common, a woman might find it particularly useful to have a weapon on hand, like the “cat ear” self defense weapons that are a common addition to many contemporary women’s keychains. Brooks’s piece enriches the conversation between works in this grouping.
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