via Hyperallergic
“Jewelry is the world’s oldest art form, predating cave paintings by tens of thousands of years,” states the exhibition’s introductory wall text. The distinction between fine art, craft, and fashion is conveniently blurred in this bold statement — isn’t clothing an art form? It likely predates jewelry — but the notions that humans used their bodies as the first canvases is certainly intriguing. Unfortunately, the exhibition doesn’t continue with this level of curatorial boldness. Instead, Transformed is divided into blandly broad thematic sections: The Divine Body; The Regal Body; The Transcendent Body; The Alluring Body; and The Resplendent Body. These categories are too vague — and in the case of “alluring” and “resplendent,” too alike — to provide a stimulating organizational lens. The strength of the show therefore resides in its dazzling individual objects — including ear ornaments, necklaces, nose rings, headdresses, and other baubles — whose function and effect often transcend the stated thematic categories.
Every Tuesday is Art Tuesday here at Adafruit! Today we celebrate artists and makers from around the world who are designing innovative and creative works using technology, science, electronics and more. You can start your own career as an artist today with Adafruit’s conductive paints, art-related electronics kits, LEDs, wearables, 3D printers and more! Make your most imaginative designs come to life with our helpful tutorials from the Adafruit Learning System. And don’t forget to check in every Art Tuesday for more artistic inspiration here on the Adafruit Blog!