Kelvin J Birk experiments with the intrinsic qualities of materials, consciously disregarding what is traditionally considered valuable. These ideas have led him to crushing and pulverising precious gemstones and re-working the resulting new material. Stone fragments are bonded back together or adhered directly onto a metal structure, allowing the nature of the materials to dictate the final form of the pieces. His methods of construction are unusual and unexpected. Birk says, ‘I am creating something different and hopefully beautiful. The value has been shifted from the commodity value to an artistic value.’ This concept of ‘value’ has always played an important role in Birk’s provocative work.
Kelvin J. Birk produces jewellery as well as larger objects, mainly in silver and gold with all types of gemstones.
Within his work he crushes precious gemstones and bonds them back together, sometimes in a random uncontrolled shape, other times in a more controlled manner and then combines these stones with jewellery pieces or objects in precious metal. Within his work he is consciously disregarding what is traditionally considered precious. Birk revels in a lack of control, allows chaos to take over and the nature of the precious materials to dictate the final outcome of the pieces. His collection is constantly developing and through different creative processes new pieces emerge all the time, ensuring that no two are identical.
Like the experiences of personal life, there is always destruction and loss yet out of these processes come new things and new orders. Kelvin J. Birk’s jewellery illustrates this theme of chaos and re-creation. There is always order in chaos, we lose things and we gain things. It is a constant.
After Graduating in Goldsmithing and jewellery making at the Berufsfachschule fuer Glas und Schmuck, Germany, Kelvin J. Birk took his MA in Silversmithing and Jewellery (awarded with distinction) from the Sir John Cass Faculty of Art in London, UK (1997).
Kelvin exhibited at various fairs and exhibitions in Great Britain, Europe, the USA, China and Taiwan. His work won him several prizes and awards and he received several grants from different funding bodies.
His work has been featured in numerous magazines, newspapers and in a range of jewellery and design books.
He became a specialist in up-cycling old jewellery, where he recycles your unworn jewellery into a stunning new wearable piece of jewellery.
