The technical round of the 7th edition of the Artisan Awards, the most coveted jewellery design competition organised by GJEPC, and powered by GIA, successfully concluded on 31st October 2023.
The technical screening witnessed some amazing designs from more than 500 entries from around the world including India, Canada, USA, Bahrain, Egypt, Dubai, and Pakistan.
The contest was evaluated by distinguished jury members from the industry including Devinder Layal, Jewellery Artist and educationist, Meenal Choksi, Head of Design, Moksh; Sushama Kalzunkar Sawant, PD & Merchandising Head, Dia Gold Creations; Janki Choksi, Founder, Janki Choksi Designs; Gunjan Sapra, COO & Head of Department, Jewellery Designs, International Institute of Gemology, and a GIA Instructor.
Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC, remarked: “We were amazed by the number of submissions received for the two unconventional themes – ‘Unusual Materials’ and ‘Objet Trouvé.’ The Council strives to stay relevant to current trend directions, and the two themes resonate with the times, marked by noticeable shifts in consumer preferences and increased environmental awareness. It is imperative to gauge and experiment with the appreciation of materials that were once overlooked.”
Milan Chokshi, Convener, Promotions & Marketing, GJEPC, noted, “The thought-provoking theme chosen for the Artisan Awards, which blends non-traditional materials with precious metals and gems, highlights GJEPC’s vision of shifting the perspective of jewellery from its intrinsic value to an art form. This theme provided designers the opportunity to explore new design expressions, as was vividly evident during the technical judging round.”
The central theme for this year revolves around Unusual Materials and Objet Trouvé. The Unusual Materials theme explores an interplay of contrasting materials – precious and non-precious. Meanwhile, the ‘Objet Trouvé theme encourages the inclusion of non-art, everyday objects into precious jewellery.
The judges were happy to see the use of common, everyday objects and materials.
Devinder Layal, Jewellery Artist and Educationist, noted: “The theme for this Artisan Awards was new and unusual. We got to see a lot of interesting entries by designers who used varied materials for their sketches. I’m excited to see how the designs finally turn out.”
Janki Choksi, Founder, Janki Choksi Designs, stated, “Most of the designs were inspired by the two unusual themes and they were quite nice. The aspects of functionality and wearability were well thought out. I was captivated by the designers’ creativity, and this contest showcased a remarkable array of diversity in designs.”
Gunjan Sapra, COO & Head of Department, Jewellery Designs, International Institute of Gemology, remarked, “This concept this time was quite unique. We did see many standout designs that displayed a strong emphasis on originality. However, as an educator, my advice to the younger generation of artists is to prioritise on conceptualising designs.”