AN EXHIBITION ABOUT THE GOLD AND RUBIES OF GREENLAND
ROCKS OF GREENLAND KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS
Join us on a journey to the depths of Greenland's underground, where gold and rubies sparkle. The exhibition ROCKS OF GREENLAND – KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS invites the audience on a fascinating journey of the precious materials - from their extraction in the mines to their shimmering display as jewelry or artworks in the exhibition.
From mine to museum
How does heavy, gold-bearing rock transform into the noblest metal, and how do small red stones become dazzling rubies in captivating jewelry? Through a carefully curated selection of crafts, artworks, geological specimens, and cultural objects, ROCKS OF GREENLAND – KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS showcases the wondrous journey of gold and rubies from mine to jewelry or artwork. The exhibition provides an exciting insight into the massive coordinated effort that precedes the creation of jewelry and objects in noble materials, while also exploring the impact of mining on Greenlandic society and the traces left on the wild Arctic nature.
Jewelry in Greenland gold and porcelain adorned with ruby dust
In the exhibition galleries, visitors can experience the precious materials in their raw form, as if they were just extracted from the depths of the mine, and also admire the finished results in the form of breathtaking jewelry and objects. The exhibition showcases, among other things, jewelry creations with Greenland gold and gemstones by goldsmith Nicolai Appel, porcelain glazed with Greenlandic ruby dust by ceramicist Kristine Kreutzmann, and weavings of detonator wires and mining tools created by textile designer Astrid Skibsted Holm.
Royal gold diadem with Greenlandic flowers
In the exhibition, visitors can also experience the Naasut diadem, which H.M. The queen received as a gift from the Greenlandic people on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the regency in 2012. The diadem is made of Greenlandic gold and diamonds by jeweler Nicolai Appel and shows 17 Greenlandic flowers – naasut means flowers in Greenlandic. The jewelry is rarely exhibited.
The exhibition, which opened on Greenland’s national day on 21 June, has previously been shown at the National Museum in Nuuk and was created in collaboration with anthropologist Nathalia Brichet.
The exhibition is supported by Queen Margrethe’s and Prince Henrik’s Foundation
BIOGRAPHIES
Nathalia Brichet (b. 1973) is Ph.D. in anthropology and lecturer in environmental anthropology at the University of Copenhagen. Nathalia has made several research-based collections and exhibitions, e.g., at the National Museum, Moesgård Museum, M/S Museum for Maritime Affairs, and at the University of Copenhagen.
Kristine Kreutzmann (b. 1989) is a ceramic designer educated from the Design School of the Academy of Fine Arts. She works in the intersection between art and design, primarily with porcelain as material, and often incorporates Greenlandic materials into her works. Kristine Kreutzmann has participated in several exhibitions in Greenland and Denmark, i.a. in Kunsthal Nord in Aalborg and at the Nuuk Art Museum. She is a member of the artist association Kimik and has had her ceramic workshop in Nuuk since 2016.
Astrid Skibsted (b. 1982) is a textile artist and weaver educated at Design School Kolding. Skibsted has a deep interest in the textile craft – she is especially interested in how the materials and textiles’ structures leave an impression on the colors. Weaving and wrapping are her primary techniques. Astrid Skibsted has participated in several exhibitions, for example in Nordens Hus in Reykjavik and the Biennale for Crafts and Design in Copenhagen and lives and works in Aarhus.
Nicolai Appel (b. 1966) is a jeweler educated from Georg Jensen and the Institute for Precious Metals. He has taken part in numerous exhibitions in Denmark as well as abroad and is a member of the Danish Crafts & Design Association and the Guild of jeweler. Nicolai Appel has his own jeweler’s workshop and shop in Copenhagen.