THE GEMSTONE APOTHECARY
These works are hybrids of science, superstition, and jewelry signifiers, exploring the complex intersections of rationality, belief, and emotional resonance. The scientific element is immediately evident in the use of chemical diagrams. Even for viewers unfamiliar with chemistry, the visual language of science suggests rationality and objectivity, creating a contrast with the subjective and emotional dimensions of superstition.
Superstitions persist in modern life, often without conscious thought—'knock on wood' remains a reflexive gesture for many. In recent years, a renewed interest in crystals, gemstones, and amulets has emerged across New Age and mainstream cultures. As psychologist Stuart Vyse notes in Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition, “The absence of control over an important outcome creates anxiety. So, even when we know on a rational level that there is no magic, superstitions can be maintained by their emotional benefit.”
During my 2019 residency at Trier University’s Idar-Oberstein Campus, I explored how jewelry functions as both a psychological and social tool while responding to the city’s unique environment. Idar-Oberstein, historically a hub of the gemstone industry, is now navigating the effects of globalization, with tourism emerging as a critical means of survival.
In the city's tourist shops, I encountered an abundance of healing stones, displayed with elaborate 'prescriptions' for their supposed powers. These rooms, brimming with gemstones and belief, provided a striking entry point for my research. Conversations with local colleagues revealed a deep cultural attachment to the healing properties of gemstones, offering insight into how these objects serve as conduits for hope and emotional relief.
This experience led me to reinterpret healing stones as symbols for the psychosocial contexts of jewelry—concepts that have consistently driven my practice. The Gemstone Apothecary emerged as a reflection on the enduring interplay between rational science and emotional belief, using jewelry as a lens to explore humanity’s need for meaning, comfort, and control.
The noted Healing Qualities of the Stones are from Dr. Google
There are two groups in the series, metal pieces with gemstones are fabricated from laser cut aluminum, or galvanized steel and sterling silver. The pieces with color images are fabricated from abstracted digital photo images printed aluminum and sterling silver.