Marks of Absence, Mixed Media Brooch by Monika Urbaniak

Marks of Absence, brooch; clay, copper, vellum, hand woven cloth, steel; hand fabricated; 2.5’ X 3”; November 2024.

The brooch returns to the theme of memory loss and the idea of “burnt” memories. The use of clay glaze is meant to create an uneven surface with marks that aid recollection of memories. The shapes that might look familiar are too abstract, and mimic the moment of vulnerability where one is unable to remember. The back hides an illegible writing on vellum and a piece of cloth, alluding to a story of the past that lives on in objects, even though a person might not remember it.

See more by Monika Urbaniak.
Return to the 22nd annual National Jewellery Student Competition.