From Walter to Valerie / Charlotte Van de Velde

Charlotte Van de Velde (b. 1988, BE) is a jewellery artist based in Brussels. She studied Art History at Ghent University and Jewellery Design at St Lucas School of Arts Antwerp. In her work she uses found pieces of jewellery to create pictures, assemblages and installations. The act of searching for and collecting materials is at the core of her practice and determines her work rhythm. Using damaged and discarded objects – unique pieces as well as mass products – as her material, she questions the way we produce objects and treat our belongings. With attention to detail, she attempts to turn seemingly worthless things into valuable pieces.

In Pieces of Luck, Charlotte Van de Velde starts out from the fragility of the chain. She searches for damaged and broken chains and combines them with chains by Walter Fischer in a series of photos and jewels. To achieve insight into the structure of the finest chains and the ways in which they wear out, she zooms in on details that are not visible to the naked eye. Inspired by the endless variations of her finds, she collects all materials in a series of three photos, organized as in a catalogue. When two or more chains seem to belong together, she combines them to create a new jewel. In doing so she looks for new ways to connect the chains, while retaining their original length and patina. The title Pieces of Luck refers to the stroke of luck in finding pieces that complete one another. The title also refers to the use of jewellery as a talisman.