Artist's statement

Eleni Zolia, NeckBone I, neckpiece, mixed media, 2012,

photo/photo-manipulation: Eleni

     My work is “to make bones”, not real bones, but artificial bones, external additions and extensions to the actual ones.

     When looking at bones of different creatures individually, they are a kind of natural sculptures. However, they have a very specific structural purpose. What happens if we take that purpose away and we consider them only as art objects with the potential of further development?

     The actual shapes of human or animal bones are my inspiration. I reform them, I make them fluid, futuristic and even strange. I create three-dimensional shapes that are pure white, as a synthetic bone would be. Resulting in light weight final objects, though they are big in size, they can easily be carried on the body and become a part of it.

     Even if I describe myself more as a sculptor than as a jewellery maker, my pieces are jewellery in their own way. My sculptures are to do with the body. They are inspired by it, placed on it and are combined with it. They stand on the body by their shape in a clear relation with the bones underneath the skin. They are +BONES!