2014
A project in which the students investigated the relation between Jewellery and Plastic Surgery. For this research, we collaborated with the Plastic Surgery department of the VUmc, a nearby hospital.
Field research: Three of their surgeons came over to our department and gave lectures about their field. Later, our students attended live plastic surgery sessions in the hospital, where they had the chance to talk with the patients and the surgeons. They had introductions in both cosmetic plastic surgery and clinical plastic surgery.
Workshop: sKINship – A workshop in Pattern Cutting inspired by Plastic Surgery. Juliana Sissons and Rhian Solomon came over from London to give a very inspirational two days workshop during which students learned the basics of pattern cutting in relation to plastic surgery techniques.
Exhibition: These intense experiences formed the main inspiration for material experiments, jewellery pieces, jewellery related works, works that investigated the notion of beauty ideals, their relation to fashion and consumers mentality. With a selection of the outcome we created an exhibition in the hospital.
Value: Not only has this been a valuable experience for our students, but also the plastic surgeons found it more than worthwhile. Being confronted with the sharp, open, imaginative and critical students and their work, the surgeons were triggered to re-think aspects of their profession and their views on both ethics and aesthetics.
