At the heart of a collection of artists’ jewellery
A talk with Diane Venet
◇ 6 April 2023
Diane Venet tells the fascinating story of her collection of artists’ jewellery. Presented in the exhibition Ornamentum, the collection brings together nearly 200 pieces, small and precious works of art that question the meaning and function of jewellery. From Kapoor to Braque, via Vasarely, Stella, Arman, César and Dali, they are always the result of an encounter. In conversation with the journalist Aurore Vaucelle, Diane Venet looks back at the stories and love affairs that are at the heart of each piece of jewellery.
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the exhibition and listen to the sound piece conceived by the artist Sheila Concari. This original composition, conceived for the exhibition, mixes electronic sounds and quotations from Diane Venet. Listen to Sweet Vanitas
Immersed in the art world from a very young age, Diane Venet, a radio and television journalist, moved to New York with her husband, the sculptor Bernar Venet, in the 1980s. An avid collector of art and artists’ jewellery, she solicited the loan and sometimes the creation of pieces by major contemporary sculptors in order to mount the acclaimed Bijoux Sculptures exhibition at the Musée La Piscine in Roubaix in 2008, which featured 170 works by 75 artists. Its success led to a series of exhibitions from New York to Athens, Miami, Seoul, Venice, Riga and Paris.
Aurore Vaucelle is a Culture and Society journalist for La Libre Belgique. She launched the column La Libre Explore, which offers exclusive experiences to the readers who are taken behind the scenes and on the field.
