Stuart Devlin (Australian, worked in England, 1931–2018), Ring, 1971, gold

Audio Description

Stuart Devlin was an Australian jewelry designer who worked in England. He lived from 1931–2018 and designed this ring in 1971.

This ring has a geometric shape with a flat platform on which many abstracted human figures are sculpted. Each figure is walking in a purposeful direction. It is made of polished gold.

Label Copy

Stuart Devlin was an Australian jewelry designer who worked in England. He lived from 1931–2018 and designed this ring in 1971.

Considering himself a designer overall, Stuart Devlin studied sculpture, training that seems evident in this ring. Known for his attention to detail, he has perched minuscule human figures atop this simple geometric form. Each abstracted figure seems intent on going somewhere, unaware of the others. Although there seems to be no human interaction between the individuals, Devlin’s aspiration with his work was to elicit an emotional response from the viewer. Eric de Kolb, whose work is also shown in this exhibition, used the human figure as texture in his jewelry.

Always interested in creating for the present moment, Devlin worked with several artisans who shaped his designs from start to finish. A generous employer, he created a path for his workers to rise to the level of master craftsperson. Once attained, the title allowed them to place their mark next to his on a piece they created.

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