Mourning Jewellery

2023

copper, silver, human hair, human tooth, cotton fabric

We place alot of importance on certain features of our appearance, hair and teeth being two of those. These features effect how we view ourselves and determine our self worth; they shape our face, define how we speak and are some of the first aspects someone will notice about us. We keep them highly maintained, because if we don't there is a fear of judgement from others, and ourselves.

Ironically these features, which we meticulously groom and revolve our self worth around, are transient. We shed them from out bodies and suddenly our whole demeanour towards them changes. No longer are they what makes us attractive, but instead are looked at as unimportant and grotesque.

We discard them like they meant nothing, and in turn we discard the emotions and memories which are embedded within them.

The pain and discomfort that can come with shedding these components of ourselves is like a moment of grief, a physical reminder of how ephemeral the stages of life can be. While grief is overpowering in the moment, often these stages of change fade into our memory, forgotten or blurred with time.

However, is it possible to separate from these aspects of ourselves and still appreciate them. Bottle them up and adorn them to be worn proudly as a ring, a brooch, or around your neck. Tokens of a life, reminders of what is it to be human.