Playfulness, accidents and changeability
- Karola has an obsession with circles
- Textiles were her first field of study before jewellery design
- Change and changeability are inspiring to her
Karola Torkos studied textile design in Halle before starting an internship at a goldsmith's workshop in Erfurt. She then studied jewellery with Dorothea Prühl. "For me, switching from textiles to jewellery was about being able to work alone on a collection as a goldsmith, as opposed to being a piece of the puzzle in the textile industry." Karola decided to study jewellery at the Royal College of Art, in London. Today, her jewellery reflects her interest in textiles, her obsession with circles, and her desire to make something valuable out of seemingly worthless materials, such as plastic. In London, Karola collaborated with jewellery enthusiast Barbara Cartlidge and her gallery Electrum. Her colourful experimental collections reached a large audience and she has had many exhibitions in the UK and Europe. Since moving back to Germany in 2013, Karola works from her own studio in Lübeck, while remaining active as a member of the Erfurt Jewellery Symposium.
Interview
- How are you inspired?
- Change and changeability appeal to me. The circles I make out of cheap materials like plastic are used to make jewellery. The cut material eventually reveals something else. My work is a constant process in which I also encourage accidents and playfulness. My finished jewellery often invites the owner to manipulate its appearance further.
- What do you enjoy most about your work?
- Having the freedom to work as I please has been a huge blessing for me. I have two or three permanent collections that are popular and well-purchased. Moreover, I was fortunate to gain the respect of renowned gallery owners very early on, who sell my experimental pieces well.
- In your opinion, how does your interest in textiles and textile design affect your jewellery?
- In some of my collections textile design can be clearly seen. During the creation of the Lace collection, I arranged small circular forms to evoke 16th century lace collars. The FG2 collection includes even larger works with lapels resembling those of jackets.
- What was a particularly enchanting moment in your career?
- I am an active member of the Erfurt Jewelry Symposium committee. Every two years, the symposium is organised by the Association of Fine Artists Thuringia. Jewellery artists from all around the world are invited to come to Erfurt for two weeks. It is always a particularly beautiful experience for me to be involved in the symposium and the exchange that follows.
Karola Torkos is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1996
Where
Karola Torkos
