goudji

interesting fellow, master goldsmith goudji. born in soviet georgia, studied at the academy of fine art in tbilissi, and at 21 was forced to leave georgia when suspected of complicity in his friends' attempt to cross the iron curtain by swimming to turkey. goudji fled to moscow where he "However, refused to work for the glorification of the regime and limited his contribution to designing items for interior decoration and monumental iron gates. He also created models for commemorative medals and designed stamps. But, most of all, he took advantage of opportunities to travel and meet other creators, while continuing, Goudji met, observed, imitated and assisted two old goldsmiths who beat copper, day in, day out, producing the same pots and pans for sale on the market.This was to be his only training in an ancient craft that can only be passed down by apprenticeship. Two months later, he knew how to beat copper, work repoussé metal, weld, rivet, and tin."

goudji married a french woman but was not allowed exit to meet his wife in france for five years. goudji says, "I was born in Paris at the age of 33. "

"In the Soviet Union, Goudji had been prohibited from working with precious metals. However he had sacrificed a few small silver spoons so as to offer his friends brooches made with colored stones found on the beaches of the Black Sea. It was his only experienceas a silversmith until his arrival in France.

Goudji both loves and needs to create. For obvious economic reasons, his first parisian creations broaches, necklaces and belt buckles - were initially made of recuperated copper and latten, bought at the Porte de Clignancourt fleamarket in Paris. From1975 onwards, his copper alloy creations were silvered by electrolysis. Thanks to these small works - first modest, later sumptuous - Goudji rapidly became well-known among lovers of contemporary jewelry.Always unique, due to the technique employed, this first batch of jewels quickly came to the notice of Hubert de Givenchy, but Goudji was unable to accept the idea of mass-production under any name but his own: his first personal exhibition in Paris was presented in 1975 in the Sven gallery."

lots of interesting information on goudji, his technique and materials can be found on his website. very interesting and very beautiful, this would be my choice to replace drum playing chicken riding elephant. obviously, the chicken can make himself comfortable.

photographs by marc wittmer.