{"product_id":"laura-deakin-dishonest-pearls-2007","title":"Laura Deakin — 'Dishonest Pearls', 2007","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDishonest Pearls\u003c\/em\u003e, a piece of jewelry created by Laura Deakin in 2006, has all the features of a pearl necklace at first glance: the string of bead-like elements, the spherical shapes, the connecting string, pearl luster, the graceful, cascading appearance when worn around the neck. Yet the ingredients, so we read with surprise, are polyester filler, silk and synthetic nacre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaura Deakin has pressed cheap pearl necklace imitations of glass beads with applied fake mother-of-pearl into filler, which has in turn been pressed into hemispherical negative moulds. The silk thread that connects the individual husks was embedded from the start. Once the plastic mass has hardened, the filler sticks so powerfully to the surface that the mother-of-pearl imitation is stripped off the beads when separated and the shimmering skin of the pearls glows from the inside, like a cast. By destroying the original false pearl, an effigy is created, which is entirely authentic: one might describe the process as deconstruction – a common artistic strategy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLaura Deakin is an Australian-born contemporary jeweller whose work combines traditional jewellery techniques with modern and classic materials. Using this contrast, her work focuses on contemporary and political issues within the parameters of body adornment.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn 2003 she completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (majoring in Contemporary Jewellery and Hollowware) at Monash University. In 2010 she completed a post-graduate Masters of Fine Art at Munich’s Academy of Fine Art (Akademie der Bildenden Künste). She currently works full-time as an artist and goldsmith and is founder of the label Coral Covey Jewellery.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLaura is represented by Galerie Wittenbrink, Germany \u0026amp; Gallery Loupe, USA. Her work can be seen in permanent collections at The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Museum of Modern Art \u0026amp; Design, Munich and Gallery Marzee in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eShe lives and works in Melbourne\/Naarm.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLean In\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeptember 5 – October 31, 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eLean In\u003c\/i\u003e brings together new work by three of Australia’s most innovative and established contemporary jewellers: Laura Deakin, Dr Marian Hosking and Dr Blanche Tilden. This exhibition showcases jewellery and objects created through a sustained collaboration between these makers, who have spent time working side-by-side, leaning into each other’s practices, and experimenting across studios.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLean In is an invitation: to move closer to the work, to notice fine details and to enter the dialogue between artists. It asks audiences to lean into the conversation that unfolds when mentorship, friendship and curiosity intersect with material intelligence and generosity. At once intimate and ambitious, the exhibition celebrates how leaning in can mean listening, supporting, challenging and ultimately expanding the possibilities of contemporary jewellery practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/craft.org.au\/whats-on\/all-events\/lean-in\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRead more about the exhibition here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col lg:flex-row\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"streamfield event__body\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Polyester resin, pigment, silk thread, synthetic pearl lustre\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e approx. L600mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlease note when purchasing, exhibition works are to be collected when exhibition closes.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Laura Deakin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48534750920922,"sku":"J-LD031","price":1460.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0033\/5002\/files\/042_Lean_In_Product_C_Armstrong.jpg?v=1788323494","url":"https:\/\/shop.craft.org.au\/products\/laura-deakin-dishonest-pearls-2007","provider":"SHOP@Craft","version":"1.0","type":"link"}