San Francisco-based design team Mike and Maaike have added to their impressive design repertoire by stealing some bling. In their new Stolen Jewels Collection, they explore the tangible versus the virtual in relation to real and perceived value. How did they do it? They used Google, that’s how. By performing Google image searches for some of the most famous and expensive pieces of jewelry in the world, then stealing, doctoring, and printing the images on scored leather, they were able to create these wild, pixelated, and — ironically enough — unique renditions. With the expense of the jewels and the intricacy of their construction stripped away, their essence and visual intensity are extracted. Some of the “Stolen Jewels” include the Hope Diamond Broach, the Golden Jubilee Diamond Broach, the Great Chrysanthemum Necklace, and Imelda Marcos’ Ruby Necklace with Diamonds. They’re available at select galleries– contact M&M to find out where.


Andrew Comfort Sunday, 07.29.07 @ 6:27 pm

This pixel jewelry is just brilliant! It reminds me of other instances in design history in which one material is translated into another: the Greeks, in their temple design, mimicking in stone details that were originally wood; and, the Chinese, carving in stone or wood, character forms originally created by an ink brush on paper. With this pixel jewelry, there are even more layers of translation. Thanks for posting this. I’m studying 2D and 3D grids these days and this really caught my eye.




Sponsorship:

Joshspear.com brings a dedicated, young, and influential audience to brand advertisers.

Please contact us for more information.

Regular content continued below...





Getting a Second Opinion
La Tete Au Cube: Fall Update
SpearTalks: Doodles
Parra and Incase
Different Views on World Hunger
Antidote
JR x 28 Millimetres: WOMEN
Urban Abstract in Amsterdam
Tangible Chicago
Mortal Kombat + Politics