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Athens, Greece

Juliette Polac

Jewellery maker

Jewellery stories

  • Juliette started out by transforming old ethnic jewels
  • Her creations have been featured in various exhibitions
  • She has run her workshop in Athens since 2000

Jewellery design was a true vocation for Juliette Polac. As a child, she remembers buying pearls in a fabulous Parisian shop to make necklaces and embroider fake collars for her family. Born in Paris, Juliette has been living in Greece for thirty years. Her interest in the diversity of cultural heritage is at the core of her work. Inspired by authentic ethnic objects she collects from around the world, as well as by architecture and sculpture, Juliette subtly fuses materials in her own elegant way. Smooth or hammered silver, gold, bronze, are finely worked and sometimes paired with carved stones, such as rock crystal or quartz. Each of her pieces narrates a unique story where past meets present.


Interview

©Anna Psaroudakis
©Anna Psaroudakis
What inspired you to choose this career?
I grew up in an architect's house where the mixture of metal, wood, linoleum and glass fascinated me, where the work of craftsmen was omnipresent and inspired the greatest respect.
In what way do you relate your craft to the territory?
Greece, where I have been living for years, has inspired me a lot with the grace of its jewellery, but more broadly, the crafts of all countries are an extraordinary source of inspiration. I like to understand the hidden meanings behind the forms, the ethnological research.
What does "well finished" evoke for you?
Although from a professional point of view, I admire technical perfection, it does not necessarily move me as I am more drawn to the imperfections created during the slow process of hand crafting.
What would you suggest to a young jewellery maker starting out?
I would suggest to not neglect the importance of the gesture. A tense gesture blocks the momentum. I would also tell him to observe craftspeople whose ingenuity often has no limits, and to exchange. I do believe in the magical aspect of creation.
Juliette Polac is a master artisan: she began her career in 1985 and she started teaching in 1990

Where


Juliette Polac

Address: Address upon request, Athens, Greece
Hours: By appointment only
Phone: +30 6974127459
Languages: Greek, French, English
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