“PTYXES”: A jewelry exhibition by MarVene

From 28 November to 14 December 2024, the SEN Shop (3 Kolokotronis Stoa Bolani, Athens) will host the exhibition “PTYXES“, a unique presentation of jewellery by MarVene (Carlos Martin and Efi Veneti). The exhibition highlights the creative coexistence of the SEN tradition and contemporary creation, inviting the public to a dialogue that unfolds “aspects” of the personal narrative of the creators.

MarVene are united by their shared love of jewellery, which they define as a “personal view of the world” – real or imagined. For the artists, jewellery carries memories of journeys, images of quests, feelings and thoughts from adventures of the mind and hands, translating – as they hope – the very etymology of the word “jewellery” from the world. Ornament, as Pythagoras calls the universe, in admiration of its order.

As Efi Veneti and Carlos Martín Ruiz de Gordejuela say:

“Throughout this course, shape, movement, light, shine, textures and sizes intertwine, play, synthesise and recombine, often recalling the movement of the loom, but ultimately the adventure of life itself, which each of us weaves in our own unique way. Jewellery is essentially a three-dimensional expression of our personal story. That is why our presence in this association that has served the craft for over 150 years is a unique honour, both because of the social and cultural importance of the institution, and because we are given a platform to express in our own way the connection of the thread, literally or metaphorically, with our creations.

But beyond the tangible result of this process, the creative process itself functions as a journey – an adventure in which the fascination of creation meets the exhilaration of expression, revealing feelings, doubts and certainties, the constant play of light and shadow in our lives. On this magical journey we hope to share with each of you, today’s spectators or, who knows, tomorrow’s creators. Aspects of a fabric that is constantly changing shape according to the free creative breath of each of us that blows and unfolds the facets of our personality!”

The “PYCHES” exhibition highlights the complex nature of silver as a medium of artistic expression, presenting jewellery that reflects the interplay of material, style and cultural references. Silver as a material has the ability to bend, change and form subtle or intense curves, conveying a sense of movement and vitality.

In this exhibition, it also acts as a ‘canvas’ on which the concept of ‘folding’ is presented: it refers not only to the shape that a material takes when folded, but also to the different ‘perspectives’ that a work of art reveals when displayed. Through these silver creations, ‘folding’ emerges as a key idea of the exhibition, highlighting jewellery’s ability to express multiple aspects and reveal the variety of personal impulses of its creators.

“The PTYXES exhibition presents jewellery not only as works of high aesthetic value, but also as documents of cultural memory. It highlights the art of jewellery as an integral part of our cultural heritage and offers an experience of reflection and discovery,” says Dr Mikedaki, archaeologist, Assistant Professor of Ancient Theatre, Department of Theatre Studies, University of the Peloponnese.