Helga Mogensen

Mixing materials and making connections

• Helga's work connects nature and the human body
• Wild Icelandic nature inspires her designs
• She combines multiple materials to make eclectic pieces

Helga Mogensen's interest in jewellery began at a very young age. Her mother noticed her interest and knew it would be Helga's life's work. On turning 20 years old, Helga began working with metal and exploring how materials work in relation to the body. Her pieces are versatile and designed to interact with different parts of the body. For instance, a ring that can also be worn as a necklace or bracelet. From these experiments Helga developed the desire to study jewellery formally. She travelled to Scotland and here she graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 2007 with a BA in Jewellery and Silversmithing. She has exhibited her work widely in Europe and the USA and has now returned to her home country of Iceland and lives and works in Reykjavík.

Interview

©Arngrimur Sigmarsson

©Arngrimur Sigmarsson

What part of your process do you like the most?

I frequently go up north in Iceland to collect the driftwood I use in some of my pieces. I love being on the beach, observing the environment and looking at each section of wood, not knowing what to do with the piece until I go to my workshop.

What materials do you work with?

I work a lot with driftwood, silver, steel, copper, brass and fish skin. I am a mixed media jewellery artist; I combine materials and follow my intuition for my work. As a jewellery designer, I love the freedom involved in my field.

What is special about making jewellery?

It is so closely linked with a person. You give someone precious to you a piece of jeweller. It is associated with sending love or certain emotions to a person. In many cases, you celebrate something, a significant landmark in life. Jewellery is very personal.

What should people know about your work?

It is handmade, so each piece is unique and has its own special energy. My main focus is using personal experiences in life and translating that into objects to wear. In this way the work is somewhat talismanic.

Helga Mogensen is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2003

Works

©Helga Mogensen

©Helga Mogensen

©Helga Mogensen

©Helga Mogensen

©Helga Mogensen

Where