Warwick Freeman, influential jewelry artist, merges New Zealand's history, unique materials, and Maori, Polynesian, and European symbols, creating culturally resonant designs that bridge traditions. Text in English and German. Warwick Freeman (b. 1953) is regarded as one of the world's most influential contemporary jewelry artists. His works tell of his life, culture, and history, as well as the history of Aotearoa/New Zealand and the country's unique materials--millimeter-thick mother-of-pearl from the giant clam, the iridescent inner membrane of the paua (a rainbow abalone), and the pounamu (a type of greenstone). Freeman--the Pakeha, as the Maori call descendants with European roots--has long been a mediator between the cultures. In the 1980s he co-revolutionized the world of New Zealand jewelry, which led to the creation of a unique artistic language. Freeman discovers forms, symbols, and images that connect Maori, Polynesian, and European civilizations through emblematic meanings that transcend their cultures--Hook.

Hand. Heart. Star. Text in English and German. Exhibition: Die Neue Sammlung - The Design Museum, Munich (DE), March 15-June 15, 2025; Objectspace, Auckland (NZ), 2025/2026; The Dowse Art Museum, Wellington (NZ), 2026.