Kasia Gasparski

Jewellery with a story

• Kasia's skills were honed under the master goldsmith Jytte Kløve
• She combines traditional techniques with unusual materials
• The MOMA in New York produces and sells her Leaf necklace

Kasia Gasparski always liked to make jewellery but it was only during her apprenticeship with Jytte Kløve that she discovered her love for gold. In 1996, as one of the youngest artists in her own country, she was nominated for the National Art Foundation three-year work grant, and in 1999 she had several works selected for the Danish Craft Collection. As a classically trained jewellery maker, Kasia considers gold and silver to be her most important materials, but she also likes to include elements such as silk, lacquer, bra straps, stones and beads in her pieces. Her jewellery "always comes with a reason and has a story to tell, even if I don’t always tell the full story, since it’s often very private and emotional," she says.

Interview

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Were you interested in making things from a young age?

I have always been curious about different materials and good at using my hands to make things. After my apprenticeship, I realised that I could easily picture myself doing repetitive work and even go into a state of Zen while working with different materials.

When did you decide to become a jewellery maker?

Goldsmithing has fascinated me for a long time. I always thought I would go down the academic route, but a big burn on my upper arm led me to start making my own arm jewellery to cover up the burn mark.

How do you combine tradition and innovation?

The traditional side of my work is reflected in my choice of materials – silver and gold – and in using tools inherited from old masters. The innovative side is shown in the design and in the combination of silver and gold with unusual or unexpected materials.

Would you describe yourself as an artisan or as an artist?

I prefer to be addressed as a goldsmith. Contemporary jewellery is flexible in interpretation and I choose to stay closer to my heritage, being part of an unbroken chain of masters who have passed on their knowledge to apprentices since ancient times.

Kasia Gasparski is a master artisan: she began her career in 1993 and she started teaching in 2006

Works

©Dorte Krogh

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©Ole Akhøj

©Dorte Krogh

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Where