Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery is thrilled to announce a unique collaboration with acclaimed American artist Michele Oka Doner, resulting in an extraordinary art jewellery collection.
The collection is an homage to “The Botanic Age”—a time long before the Stone Age, when plants and trees were central to human development and creativity. Dr. Dean Falk’s research at Florida State University positions this era as the true cradle of civilisation, where botanic inventions like woven baskets shaped our cognitive and cultural evolution long before we wielded stone tools.
Drawn from Oka Doner’s profound connection to the natural world and human history, her designs serve as spiritual meditations of this era, reflecting a time when humans were stewards of the earth rather than its masters. Her message resonates powerfully in today’s world as we face the consequences of “Plant Blindness,” a term recently coined to describe how the Industrial Revolution has distanced humanity from the natural world. The collection is a call to action for a New Botanic Age.
Oka Doner’s work is distinguished not only by her evocative vocabulary of natural forms but also by her ability to transform these forms into talismanic objects that resonate with elemental energies. Her creations are not just jewelry; they are exquisite works of art that captivate the senses. Each piece, meticulously crafted, radiates a beauty that is both timeless and transcendent. The fluidity of her designs, inspired by the organic curves and delicate intricacies of nature, results in pieces that are elegant, graceful, and profoundly feminine.
The collection features:
Winter Branches: An Ongoing Conversation (©2007/2024): A series of 9 one- of-a-kind brooches in bronze, 18kt white gold, and old-cut diamonds. Each brooch is given a distinct name, giving it a unique personality that mirrors the diversity of the branches and twigs from which the pieces originate. This collection represents an ongoing dialogue, building upon the success and esteemed history of the original Winter Branch brooches, which sold out during a Christie’s Private Sale in 2015 and have been sought after by distinguished art collectors since 2007.
Talisman (©2010/2024): A pendant in bronze, 18kt yellow gold, and diamond, accompanied by a handmade necklace, in a limited edition of 8 plus 2 artist proofs. This piece harks back to ancient practices of wearing talismans, imbuing it with a sense of protection and connection to the earth.
Mitosis (©2024): A limited edition of 5 electro-formed silver boxes, with 2 additional artist proofs. Mitosis captures the moment of cellular division, a metaphor for the potential for growth and transformation inherent in all natural forms. Adding a tangible connection to this concept, the electroformed bark used in these pieces was retrieved from the Hudson River upstate many years ago by Oka Doner herself.
Nightflight (©2024): A necklace made of blackened silver adorned with huit-huit old cut diamonds. Nightflight is inspired by the natural structure of St Augustine grass, a tropical plant found in Miami, Florida that holds personal significance for the artist. The necklace echoes the movement and connectivity of the grass’s runners, evoking the artist’s memory of birds in flight. This design is rooted in her childhood memories of weaving the plant stands, capturing the fluidity and organic beauty of nature in a refined form.
These pieces are not just creations, but discoveries from a deeper, mystical plane, where each form is unique and alive, engaging cathartically with our original connection to earth. The pieces complete a mystic circuit with the wearer, coming to life as they engage with our primordial core and provoke a sense of wonder.
The collection will be presented at the prestigious Salon Art + Design in New York from the 7th – 11th of November, offering collectors and art enthusiasts the first opportunity to experience it in person.
The collaboration between Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery and Michele Oka Doner is an ongoing project. This launch represents the beginning of a continuing exploration of central themes in Oka Doner’s work— the connection between humanity and the natural world, particularly how ancient wisdom and botanical forms have shaped human experiences and artistic expressions. Future pieces from this collaboration are expected to delve further into these concepts, offering new interpretations and forms throughout the year.
“We are honoured to collaborate with Michele Oka Doner on this meaningful and powerful collection,” said Elisabetta Cipriani, founder of the eponymous gallery. “Her ability to spiritually engage with nature and evoke the primal magical relationship between humanity and the natural world is unmatchable.”
As we stand on the cusp of a “New Botanic Age,” Oka Doner’s work offers not just a return to ancient knowledge but a vision for the future, where art reconnects us with the earth and our deepest selves. Her jewellery is a bridge to the past and a beacon for a future where nature and humanity are again in harmonious balance.
The collection will be available exclusively through Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery. Each item is signed, numbered, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, underscoring its uniqueness and the thoughtful process behind its creation.
About Michele Oka Doner:
Michele Oka Doner is a multidisciplinary artist. Her practice spans sculpture, public art, jewellery, and design. Her creations are featured in major museums worldwide, continuing to influence contemporary art and design.
Michele Oka Doner received her B.S.D. and M.F.A. in Fine Art University of Michigan and is the recipient of many accolades, including the Award of Excellence from the United Nations Society of Writers and Artists. The artist’s work is featured in numerous prominent art museums and private collections across several continents, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York; The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York; The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; The Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas; The St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri; The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia; The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York, New York; The Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, New Jersey; The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan; The University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Pérez Art Museum Miami, Miami, Florida; The Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut; Musée Décoratifs, Louvre, Paris, France and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London UK.
Oka Doner is also renowned for creating over thirty-five public art installations throughout the United States. and Europe, including A Walk on the Beach at the Miami International Airport, Radiant Site at Herald Square, New York, New York; Flight at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia; Forces of Nature, Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Soul Catchers, Nymphenburg, Munich, Germany; as well as installations at Federal courthouses in Greenville, Tennessee, Gulfport, Mississippi and Laredo, Texas; the Criminal Justice Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; public libraries in Sacramento, California, Evanston, Illinois and Toms River, New Jersey, and The Museum of Natural History in New York, New York. Most recently, Oka Doner mounted a solo presentation, entitled The True Story of Eve, at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida and have been awarded Guardian of the Great Miami Beach Banyan Tree, City of Miami Beach, Florida and Cultural Ambassador, City of Miami Beach, Florida.
For enquiries, please contact:
Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery
Despina Kaklamanou – despina@elisabettacipriani.com – Tel: +44 (0) 207 287 5675
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