Gold with a universal message
- Nicolai creates jewellery and tableware from Greenlandic gold
- He is inspired by notions of universality
- Flowers and native stones characterise his pieces
Nicolai Appel's practice is deeply connected to nature, with designs inspired by geology, geometric shapes and floral forms. "By making things, I found my voice in a noisy home. I like to say that the hands speak as well," he says. Since making his first piece at the age of seven, a beautiful whale carved from wood, Nicolai has become one of Denmark’s most recognised goldsmiths working with Greenlandic gold. His pieces have been commissioned by royalty and Denmark’s biggest collectors. Along with jewellery, he creates serving dishes and platters for some of the country’s finest chefs. “I am trying to incorporate nature in my jewellery,” Nicolai says. “I am interested in universal, precultural ideas about what we humans share. This is what brings us together.”
Interview
- What attracts you to Greenlandic gold?
- This type of gold is novel in our world, free of guilt and cultural baggage, unlike ordinary gold. The first thing ever made from this gold was jewellery. I drew the hallmark that is used on all Greenlandic gold – a tiny polar bear.
- How do you work with chefs?
- I make platters for Danish chefs competing in the Bocuse d’Or competition, and I also make dishes for fine dining restaurants. For Michelin-starred restaurant Alchemist, in Copenhagen, I created metal daisies that hold tiny cocktails.
- How do you feel about being an artisan?
- There is something tangible and moral about being a craftsperson. I grew up in the 1970s movement of doing your own thing, making your own money and not being exploited. This allows me to live a life aligned with my own ideology.
- What are you planning to work on next?
- I see many kids lacking the language of touch. They use slick surfaces everyday and do not know enough about materials. In my next project, I want to work with tactility, creating sentences the hand can read that awaken deep memories.
Nicolai Appel is a master artisan: he began his career in 1995 and he started teaching in 2000
Where
Nicolai Appel
