Graduate puts the spotlight on
the environment at Shanghai Biennial

07 Nov 2018

A UCA Rochester graduate is putting the spotlight on industrial waste and plastic pollution at the 4^th Triple Parade Biennial in Shanghai.

Showcasing his striking jewellery pieces, Dan Russell, who graduated with a BA (Hons) Contemporary Jewellery in June 2017, uses his work to highlight the environmental crisis caused by waste and pollution.

“A fascination with large-scale industrial machinery and the environments in which they are found has formed the basis of several narratives within my work over the past 4 years,” explains Dan, who is exhibiting two large neckpieces and a brooch in Shanghai, which were originally created for his final major project at UCA: Waste-Full World.

“This work has always been underpinned with an awareness of the ecological concerns and adverse effects that these industrial processes are having on the environment, especially how plastic and industrial waste are affecting birds and marine life across the world.”

Dan, who has collaborated with a number of organisations since graduating – including a non-profit community of artists generating work with environmental, political or social agendas – has seen his jewellery exhibited in Vienna, Switzerland, Lille and as part of Milan Fashion Week.

“A key function within my work is looking at how parts can be put together and how mechanisms provide movement or function,” he adds. “My jewellery consists primarily of small component-based parts that join together to form a whole. I also like to explore the way that individually crafted pieces can be transformed into larger intricate mechanical objects which are mainly made from wood and supported with the use of found items.”

Dan is currently focusing on a collaboration with a Birmingham-based jeweller. He says: “The two of us are working on a new collection and supporting exhibition entirely from scratch, which is pretty exciting as I have never done that before. There is a lot to take on board and I am learning from it all the time. It will also be my first new body of work that I have produced since graduating, so I am really enjoying working on that and can't wait to have it on show.”

The 4^th Triple Parade Biennial is a prestigious international contemporary jewellery exhibition, taking place at HOW Art Museum. The exhibition includes 500 pieces of art created by nearly 300 artists from 34 countries and regions, and is set to run until January next year.  Dan’s work is featuring at the exhibition alongside a number of other graduates and staff members from both UCA Farnham and UCA Rochester.