London-based artist-jeweller Ute Decker (Germany, b. 1969) is best known for her minimalist yet bold sculptural jewellery art. Her innovative method of sculpting, bending, and twisting gold and silver to create a powerful and expressive three-dimensional “geometric poetry” caused a considerable stir when they erupted onto the jewellery scene in 2009 quickly making her unique and limited edition pieces eminently collectable.
With influences as diverse as tribal art to the minimalism of Zen philosophy, her use of essential shapes, clean lines, exquisite surface textures and the treatment of empty space give her work a powerful presence. As a political economist-turned-journalist-turned-jeweller, Ute has become a pioneer of the international sustainable jewellery movement and one of the first worldwide to work in Fairtrade gold.
Described as “the architectural jeweller”, her jewellery practice draws from her experience in other mediums such as sculpture, textiles, paper and ceramics. In her large-scale as well as her wearable works, Ute choreographs architectural lines and dynamic curvatures into evocative sculptures making the jewellery pieces of Ute Decker equally engaging displayed on a plinth as they are on the body.
The work of Ute Decker can be found in several notable public collections including the Musée Barbier-Mueller, the Swiss National Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the UK Crafts Council Collection and notable private collections include Helen Drutt, Nancy Olnick, Tuan Lee, Donna Schneier, Diane Venet, Zaha Hadid.
Ute’s work is included in major public and private collections, such as The Victoria and Albert Museum, London UK; Crafts Council, London UK; Goldsmiths Company, London UK; Musée Barbier-Mueller, Geneva Switzerland; The Swiss National Museum, Zurich Switzerland; Spencer Museum of Art, Kansas USA. Most recently, the artist has been working on a special commission for The Dallas Museum of Art, Texas USA.
Awards:
2018 Gold Award, The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, Category: Precious Jewellery – Silver
2018 Silver Award, The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, Category: Precious Jewellery – Gold
2020 Gold Award, The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, Category: Precious Jewellery – Fairtrade Jewellery
2020 Bronze Award, The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, Category: Fine Jewellery
