Artist of the month....January 2021
'Voice' of the month on
Lost In Jewellery Magazine is
Rebekah Frank
Just add flesh Series
"I use simple materials to define space: steel chain and short lengths of steel wire.
The structures are minimal, spacious, without complexity. Despite the geometry and material, they are not hard pieces. Softness enters the pieces as they drape and conform to the environment they interact with, the gentle pull of gravity, the planar surfaces of a table, the curves of the body. They stand alone but interact and still maintain their individuality. They create space for the viewer to exist. I am interested in the variety that one piece, one simple structure, can contain. How does one maintain its perimeters no matter how it is pushed or pulled, draped or stretched…even when a human form is inserted into the space." Rebekah Frank
"I use simple materials to define space: steel chain and short lengths of steel wire.
The structures are minimal, spacious, without complexity. Despite the geometry and material, they are not hard pieces. Softness enters the pieces as they drape and conform to the environment they interact with, the gentle pull of gravity, the planar surfaces of a table, the curves of the body. They stand alone but interact and still maintain their individuality. They create space for the viewer to exist. I am interested in the variety that one piece, one simple structure, can contain. How does one maintain its perimeters no matter how it is pushed or pulled, draped or stretched…even when a human form is inserted into the space." Rebekah Frank
Brief INTERVIEW ANOUT ARTIST rEBEKAH FRANK
Where is your inspiration coming from?
For many years, I worked within architecturally focused ateliers, where I spent a lot of time building rectangular frames. The jewelry I make is inspired by the interaction between the body and the negative space created a piece of jewelry. Most jewelry asks to be filled; bracelets, rings, necklaces all include a void that traditionally are filled by wrists, fingers, and necks. My jewelry creates flexible frames for the body and the interaction between the frame, the body, and movement is what inspires me. More intimate than the negative spaces that architecture frames and differently focused on the body, jewelry invites the body that wears it to be a part of the piece. Because of my interest in the body and movement, the work of dancers like Pina Bausch and Emma Porter are fascinating as they experiment with movement through contemporary dance.
What are you trying to communicate with your Artwork?
That space can be inhabited in different ways and there is no wrong way. That boundaries can be defined and flexible. That material, objects, and people can have multiple identities that change, morph, and shift over time.
Which material do you prefer to use and why?
My preferred material is steel. When I was 18 years old, I took an introductory welding course at a community college alongside classes in ballet, advanced mathematics, and critical thinking. I fell in love with the material transformation of welding, the physical power of wielding a torch, and the practical, solemnness of the material. Steel surrounds us. It holds up our buildings, it protects us as we hurtle through space in our vehicles, it is the backbone of our society. It is common, affordable, and accessible, no matter where I am in the world. I enjoy making such a solemn, ubiquitous material graceful and luxurious, while coaxing a playful tension as the steel interacts with the body and gravity.
How much value do you give to researching material for your creations?
Since I only use one material, I am endless researching possibilities of steel. While others are interested in variety of material and their overlap in texture, I’m able to delve deeply into understanding the quality of one. It is a lifelong obsession.
Is it more important for you the process, or the final Artwork itself?
Both!
Is there an Artist you prefer & admire and why?
Some artists I follow are Eva Hesse, Louise Bourgeois, Harmony Hammond, Sarah Lucas, Cassils, Iris Eichenberg, Torreya Cummings, and Angela Hennessey. These artists were or are trail blazers working in ways that inspire me to do more. While there are male artists I also look towards because their careers are so visible, these women and queer artists’s paths and subject matter are more recognizable and provide me hope and motivation.
Have you ever thought to collaborate with other Artists , or do you like to work on your own?
My work has a characteristic of scaffolding and lends itself well to some collaborations that recognize the signature framework of my pieces without overwhelming it. I collaborated with Iris Eichenberg for an exhibition at Galerie Louise Smit in 2011 and love the resulting work because it honors and reflects our distinct styles.
Where do you feel you are at with your last Art collection?
My last major collection was 2018’s just add flesh. It was an evolution of the previous ongoing series Rectangle Series 2012-2018. Each distinct body of work and the small groupings, like the Nostalgia Triptych and the Pacific Coast Highway necklaces, that are made in-between are part of the exploration of material and themes of my work. As each one ends, I am excited to continue the ideas that were discovered along the way. One way of thinking about collections are they are simply chapters in an ongoing book, each building on the last and leading your through until the unknown end.
What have you discovered about yourself as an Artist along the years ?
That there is more to discover! There is always more to find out about yourself and creating work is an enjoyable process of introspection, analyzation, and production.
Two words to describe your last Artwork collection.
Elegant. Playful.
Rebekah Frank
Where is your inspiration coming from?
For many years, I worked within architecturally focused ateliers, where I spent a lot of time building rectangular frames. The jewelry I make is inspired by the interaction between the body and the negative space created a piece of jewelry. Most jewelry asks to be filled; bracelets, rings, necklaces all include a void that traditionally are filled by wrists, fingers, and necks. My jewelry creates flexible frames for the body and the interaction between the frame, the body, and movement is what inspires me. More intimate than the negative spaces that architecture frames and differently focused on the body, jewelry invites the body that wears it to be a part of the piece. Because of my interest in the body and movement, the work of dancers like Pina Bausch and Emma Porter are fascinating as they experiment with movement through contemporary dance.
What are you trying to communicate with your Artwork?
That space can be inhabited in different ways and there is no wrong way. That boundaries can be defined and flexible. That material, objects, and people can have multiple identities that change, morph, and shift over time.
Which material do you prefer to use and why?
My preferred material is steel. When I was 18 years old, I took an introductory welding course at a community college alongside classes in ballet, advanced mathematics, and critical thinking. I fell in love with the material transformation of welding, the physical power of wielding a torch, and the practical, solemnness of the material. Steel surrounds us. It holds up our buildings, it protects us as we hurtle through space in our vehicles, it is the backbone of our society. It is common, affordable, and accessible, no matter where I am in the world. I enjoy making such a solemn, ubiquitous material graceful and luxurious, while coaxing a playful tension as the steel interacts with the body and gravity.
How much value do you give to researching material for your creations?
Since I only use one material, I am endless researching possibilities of steel. While others are interested in variety of material and their overlap in texture, I’m able to delve deeply into understanding the quality of one. It is a lifelong obsession.
Is it more important for you the process, or the final Artwork itself?
Both!
Is there an Artist you prefer & admire and why?
Some artists I follow are Eva Hesse, Louise Bourgeois, Harmony Hammond, Sarah Lucas, Cassils, Iris Eichenberg, Torreya Cummings, and Angela Hennessey. These artists were or are trail blazers working in ways that inspire me to do more. While there are male artists I also look towards because their careers are so visible, these women and queer artists’s paths and subject matter are more recognizable and provide me hope and motivation.
Have you ever thought to collaborate with other Artists , or do you like to work on your own?
My work has a characteristic of scaffolding and lends itself well to some collaborations that recognize the signature framework of my pieces without overwhelming it. I collaborated with Iris Eichenberg for an exhibition at Galerie Louise Smit in 2011 and love the resulting work because it honors and reflects our distinct styles.
Where do you feel you are at with your last Art collection?
My last major collection was 2018’s just add flesh. It was an evolution of the previous ongoing series Rectangle Series 2012-2018. Each distinct body of work and the small groupings, like the Nostalgia Triptych and the Pacific Coast Highway necklaces, that are made in-between are part of the exploration of material and themes of my work. As each one ends, I am excited to continue the ideas that were discovered along the way. One way of thinking about collections are they are simply chapters in an ongoing book, each building on the last and leading your through until the unknown end.
What have you discovered about yourself as an Artist along the years ?
That there is more to discover! There is always more to find out about yourself and creating work is an enjoyable process of introspection, analyzation, and production.
Two words to describe your last Artwork collection.
Elegant. Playful.
Rebekah Frank
RGF - justaddflesh - Necklace11 - -2019 - Steel, 14kt gold - photo Lydia Daniller-model Hortensia - 328-highres
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RGF - justaddflesh - Necklace 11 - 2019 - Steel, 14kt gold -photo Lydia Daniller-model Hortensia - 340-highres
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RGF - justaddflesh - Necklace 11 - 2019 - Steel, 14kt gold Photo Lydia Daniller- model Hortensia - 342-highres
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RGF - justaddflesh - 2019 - Steel, 14kt gold - necklace 11.00
RGF - justaddflesh - 2020 - Steel . Necklace09 - photo Lydia Daniller - model Clement Goldberg - 189
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RGF - justaddflesh - 2021 - Steel - Necklace09 - photo Lydia Daniller - model Clement Goldberg - 195
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RGF - justaddflesh - 2022- Steel - Necklace09 - photo Lydia Daniller-model Clement Goldbert - 184
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RGF - justaddflesh - 2019 - Steel, 14kt gold - Necklace01 - photo Lydia Daniller-model Pamela Z-267
Eccentric Circles Series
"A simple linked chain that is scaled up, repeated, growing and receding in length. When hung on the wall, the chains are pulled by gravity, but the friction between the links resists, resulting in eccentric lines that refuse to be forced into straight lines. When worn, the chain lays flat resting on the body or stands vertically creating a perimeter to protect the wearer. " Rebekah Frank
"A simple linked chain that is scaled up, repeated, growing and receding in length. When hung on the wall, the chains are pulled by gravity, but the friction between the links resists, resulting in eccentric lines that refuse to be forced into straight lines. When worn, the chain lays flat resting on the body or stands vertically creating a perimeter to protect the wearer. " Rebekah Frank
Pacific Coast Highway Series
I miss my motorcycle.
"This group of necklaces was created thinking about the Pacific Coast Highway (also known as California Route 1), a scenic motorway hugging the cliffs along the coast of California. Incredible views and hairpin turns make it a prime roadway for motorcycle touring. Each necklace is named after a particular section of the PCH near where I live. The steel surfaces have a pebbled matte rubber finish with a polished steel chain, suspended from black linen cord, that is activated by the body's movement. One day soon, I'll return to a life of chrome and rubber, enjoying hours of active silence. How the road communicates with the body through the machine is so powerful. There is nothing like it. " Rebekah Frank
I miss my motorcycle.
"This group of necklaces was created thinking about the Pacific Coast Highway (also known as California Route 1), a scenic motorway hugging the cliffs along the coast of California. Incredible views and hairpin turns make it a prime roadway for motorcycle touring. Each necklace is named after a particular section of the PCH near where I live. The steel surfaces have a pebbled matte rubber finish with a polished steel chain, suspended from black linen cord, that is activated by the body's movement. One day soon, I'll return to a life of chrome and rubber, enjoying hours of active silence. How the road communicates with the body through the machine is so powerful. There is nothing like it. " Rebekah Frank
Artist brief BIO
Artist Bio
Rebekah Frank received her Master of Fine Arts in Jewelry/Metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2012 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jewelry/Metalsmithing from Texas State University in 2010. Her chosen material is steel, a fascination discovered through a challenge received when she was 18, and her creative practice has focused on that material ever since, working as a blacksmith, a welder, a machinist, and, currently, a jeweler. In addition, she worked with Art Jewelry Forum, an international nonprofit dedicated to the appreciation of art jewelry, from 2012 to 2018, leading the organization as the executive director from 2015 to 2018.
Rebekah’s studio practice is based in the Mission District of San Francisco, CA, and she exhibits, lectures, and teaches workshops all over the world.
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Rebekah Frank received her Master of Fine Arts in Jewelry/Metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2012 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jewelry/Metalsmithing from Texas State University in 2010. Her chosen material is steel, a fascination discovered through a challenge received when she was 18, and her creative practice has focused on that material ever since, working as a blacksmith, a welder, a machinist, and, currently, a jeweler. In addition, she worked with Art Jewelry Forum, an international nonprofit dedicated to the appreciation of art jewelry, from 2012 to 2018, leading the organization as the executive director from 2015 to 2018.
Rebekah’s studio practice is based in the Mission District of San Francisco, CA, and she exhibits, lectures, and teaches workshops all over the world.
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Artist CV
EDUCATION
2012 MFA in Studio Art, Metals, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
2010 BFA in Studio Art, Metals, Texas State University—San Marcos, San Marcos, TX
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Atelier 1553, Line and Chain, San Rafael, CA, USA*
2019 Ornamentum Gallery, just add flesh, Hudson, NY, USA
2017 ATTA Gallery, Rebekah Frank: Off the Wall, Bangkok, Thailand
2014 Galerie Ra, Rebekah Frank, Amsterdam, Netherlands
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 ATTA Gallery, 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Bangkok, Thailand
Konsthantverkarna, Uncommon Elements, Stockholm, Sweden
Baltimore Jewelry Center, Site Effects, Baltimore, MD, USA
Cabrillo Gallery, Six Years Smitten, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Philadelphia Art Alliance, Site Effects, Philadelphia, PA, USA*
Center del Carme Cultura Contemporània, Schmuck 2020, Valencia, Spain*
Melting Point, #000000, Valencia, Spain*
Melting Point, Scapular I & II: I carry you between, Valencia, Spain*
International Handwerksmesse, IHM, Schmuck 2020, Munich, Germany*
Munich Jewelry Week, #000000, Munich, Germany*
Munich Jewelry Week, Scapular I & II: I carry you between, Valencia, Spain*
Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein, BKV, Site Effects, Munich, Germany
ZONA MACO, Trece Sin 3 Presents, Mexico City, Mexico
2019 Goldberg Studios, Full Disclosure, Munich, Germany
Museo Jumex, Trece Sin 3 Presents, Mexico City, Mexico
2018 Cranbook House, A Line of Beauty, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
2017 Independent Brussels Fair, The Corner Piece, Paris, France
Form + Concept, Smitten Forum Presentation, Santa Fe, NM, USA
2016 DesignMiami, Ornamentum Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
Vaasa Art Museum, Koru 5, Vaasa, Finland
2015 Imatra Museum of Art, KORU 5, Imatra, Finland
Tacoma Art Museum, Protective Ornament, Tacoma, WA, USA
RESIDENCIES
2021 LES Artist Residency, Lillian E. Smith Art Center, Demorest, GA; Monson Arts Residency, Monson, MN; Baltimore Jewelry Center, Professional Mid-Career Artist Residency, Baltimore, MD, USA
2020 LES Artist Residency, Lillian E. Smith Art Center, Demorest, GA; Monson Arts Residency, Monson, MN; Baltimore Jewelry Center, Professional Mid-Career Artist Residency, Baltimore, MD, USA*
2019 Penland Winter Residency, Penland, NC, USA
2018 Smitten Forum Residency, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, USA
2017 Tending Spaces Fellowship, Spirit Rock, Marin County, CA, USA
2014 Iron, Wood, and Glass Winter Residency, Penland, NC, USA
PRESENTATIONS
2020 Panelist, ArtSpan: How to Apply to Residencies, SOMArts, San Francisco, CA, USA
Speaker, Texas Metals Symposium, Texas Tech University, online
Moderator, Queer Masculinities, and Jewelry Residencies, NYC Jewelry Week, online
Panelist, Schmuck 2020, NYC Jewelry Week, online
Artist Talk, Konsthantverkarna, Stockholm, Sweden, online
Speaker, BJC - Focus, Baltimore Jewelry Center, online
Artist Talk, AJF Live, Art Jewelry Forum, online
2019 Speaker, Southwest Makers Symposium, Form + Concept, Santa Fe, NM, USA
Artist Talk Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
2018 Visiting Lecture, San Francisco Arts Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
Visiting Lecture, University of Illinois: Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
Speaker, Gem Talks, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
2017 Visiting Teacher Presentation, Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC, USA
2015 Bay Area Metals Art Guild, California College of Art, Berkeley, CA, USA
PUBLICATIONS
2019 Zachary Small, Queer Artists in Their Own Words, Hyperallergic
2018 Sarah Thornton, Wearability and the Power of the Small Arts: An Outsider's View, Art Jewelry Forum
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
CODA Museum, Netherlands; Cranbrook Art Museum, Michigan, USA; Maxine & Stuart Frankel Foundation, Michigan, USA; various private collections
*Cancellations due to Covid19
2012 MFA in Studio Art, Metals, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
2010 BFA in Studio Art, Metals, Texas State University—San Marcos, San Marcos, TX
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Atelier 1553, Line and Chain, San Rafael, CA, USA*
2019 Ornamentum Gallery, just add flesh, Hudson, NY, USA
2017 ATTA Gallery, Rebekah Frank: Off the Wall, Bangkok, Thailand
2014 Galerie Ra, Rebekah Frank, Amsterdam, Netherlands
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 ATTA Gallery, 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Bangkok, Thailand
Konsthantverkarna, Uncommon Elements, Stockholm, Sweden
Baltimore Jewelry Center, Site Effects, Baltimore, MD, USA
Cabrillo Gallery, Six Years Smitten, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Philadelphia Art Alliance, Site Effects, Philadelphia, PA, USA*
Center del Carme Cultura Contemporània, Schmuck 2020, Valencia, Spain*
Melting Point, #000000, Valencia, Spain*
Melting Point, Scapular I & II: I carry you between, Valencia, Spain*
International Handwerksmesse, IHM, Schmuck 2020, Munich, Germany*
Munich Jewelry Week, #000000, Munich, Germany*
Munich Jewelry Week, Scapular I & II: I carry you between, Valencia, Spain*
Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein, BKV, Site Effects, Munich, Germany
ZONA MACO, Trece Sin 3 Presents, Mexico City, Mexico
2019 Goldberg Studios, Full Disclosure, Munich, Germany
Museo Jumex, Trece Sin 3 Presents, Mexico City, Mexico
2018 Cranbook House, A Line of Beauty, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
2017 Independent Brussels Fair, The Corner Piece, Paris, France
Form + Concept, Smitten Forum Presentation, Santa Fe, NM, USA
2016 DesignMiami, Ornamentum Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
Vaasa Art Museum, Koru 5, Vaasa, Finland
2015 Imatra Museum of Art, KORU 5, Imatra, Finland
Tacoma Art Museum, Protective Ornament, Tacoma, WA, USA
RESIDENCIES
2021 LES Artist Residency, Lillian E. Smith Art Center, Demorest, GA; Monson Arts Residency, Monson, MN; Baltimore Jewelry Center, Professional Mid-Career Artist Residency, Baltimore, MD, USA
2020 LES Artist Residency, Lillian E. Smith Art Center, Demorest, GA; Monson Arts Residency, Monson, MN; Baltimore Jewelry Center, Professional Mid-Career Artist Residency, Baltimore, MD, USA*
2019 Penland Winter Residency, Penland, NC, USA
2018 Smitten Forum Residency, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, USA
2017 Tending Spaces Fellowship, Spirit Rock, Marin County, CA, USA
2014 Iron, Wood, and Glass Winter Residency, Penland, NC, USA
PRESENTATIONS
2020 Panelist, ArtSpan: How to Apply to Residencies, SOMArts, San Francisco, CA, USA
Speaker, Texas Metals Symposium, Texas Tech University, online
Moderator, Queer Masculinities, and Jewelry Residencies, NYC Jewelry Week, online
Panelist, Schmuck 2020, NYC Jewelry Week, online
Artist Talk, Konsthantverkarna, Stockholm, Sweden, online
Speaker, BJC - Focus, Baltimore Jewelry Center, online
Artist Talk, AJF Live, Art Jewelry Forum, online
2019 Speaker, Southwest Makers Symposium, Form + Concept, Santa Fe, NM, USA
Artist Talk Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
2018 Visiting Lecture, San Francisco Arts Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
Visiting Lecture, University of Illinois: Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
Speaker, Gem Talks, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
2017 Visiting Teacher Presentation, Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC, USA
2015 Bay Area Metals Art Guild, California College of Art, Berkeley, CA, USA
PUBLICATIONS
2019 Zachary Small, Queer Artists in Their Own Words, Hyperallergic
2018 Sarah Thornton, Wearability and the Power of the Small Arts: An Outsider's View, Art Jewelry Forum
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
CODA Museum, Netherlands; Cranbrook Art Museum, Michigan, USA; Maxine & Stuart Frankel Foundation, Michigan, USA; various private collections
*Cancellations due to Covid19
