Press room
ROCKS OF GREENLAND KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS
FROM MINE TO MUSEUM: NEW EXHIBITION ABOUT GREENLAND’S GOLD AND RUBIES AT DESIGNMUSEUM DANMARK
On Greenland’s National Day on 21 June, Designmuseum Danmark opened an exhibition that takes visitors on a journey to the depths of Greenland’s underground, where gold and rubies sparkle. ROCKS OF GREENLAND – KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS follows the precious materials from their extraction in the mines to their shimmering display as jewelry or artworks in the exhibition, but also takes a closer look at the impact of mining on the Greenlandic nature and society.
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 a fascinating 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 Greenlandic 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 Greenlandic 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.
ROCKS OF GREENLAND – KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS was opened on June 21 by H.M. The Queen and will be on show until 30 December 2023. The exhibition has previously been shown at the National Museum in Nuuk and was created in collaboration with anthropologist Nathalia Brichet.
PRESS PHOTOS
Installation view ROCKS OF GREENLAND – KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS. Naasut diadem. Photo: Luka Hesselberg
Installation view ROCKS OF GREENLAND – KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS. Weavings of detonator wires created by textile designer Astrid Skibsted Holm. Photo: Luka Hesselberg
Installation view ROCKS OF GREENLAND – KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS. Work by ceramicist Kristine Kreutzmann. Photo: Luka Hesselberg
Installation view ROCKS OF GREENLAND – KALAALLIT NUNAAT ROCKS. Jewelry by goldsmith Nicolai Appel. Photo: Luka Hesselberg
Corridors in the Nalunaq gold mine are blasted out. Photo: Courtesy Paul Brown