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my brand: I am a nerd

His & Hers Nerd Pendants. Sterling silver. 2011.
There is no point in denying it: I am a nerd. I designed these pendants for the "Branded" exhibition at the fabulous Influx Gallery in Calgary this summer. I like to bring my background in science and natural history into my art work, and in this case, I also brought some political advocacy. In an era in which some cultures still deny females equal access to education, I used the loaded motif of the apple to create a context to present the writing to the viewer. Here's the full artist statement:
His and her “nerd” pendants confidently declare affiliation with a tribe that delights in knowledge, education and technology. Nerdism nourishes the world around us, and we are proud of that contribution.
His “nerd” pendant is about strength in identity. Styled after a traditional branding iron, the pendant is a rugged and substantial piece of silver, designed to perpetuate this important meme beyond one life-time.
Her “nerd” pendant is a hammered and rounded silver dome - this form gives strength to the lighter, delicate openwork. Suggestive of an apple or a heart, the word is discovered within the intimate context of the shape.
Nerd pendants honour the universal right to education for everyone.
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Comments

  1. Bessy the dogNovember 27, 2011 at 12:42 PM

    Like a couple of nerds we couldn't find you on the internet to checkout your 'web profile' because we were mis-spelling your surname - doh!

    Anyway where are the cuff-links? Really like everything else though.

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  2. ChristineNovember 27, 2011 at 12:58 PM

    Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed... Cufflinks are in the works, and I guess this means you'd like them to be 'nerdy' too?! I know it would increase the likelihood of my husband wearing a dress-shirt if he could add the appropriate attitude to it. Hopefully you eventually found my link to the Metal Arts Guild of Canada? I have two more years of work to get uploaded there... Stay with me! Please let me know directly if you would like a quote on any of the work, and I will publish a link to the next show or where work is available. I have to go and do nerdy things now.

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