The Museum of Arts and Design's Annual Exhibition and Sale of Contemporary Jewelry Returns

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) presents the nineteenth edition of LOOT: MAD About Jewelry, its annual exhibition and sale of one-of-a-kind contemporary jewelry. Open to the public April 9 through April 13, following the Opening Benefit on April 8, LOOT 2019 showcases the work of fifty-five emerging and acclaimed international jewelry artists and designers, most of whom have never been shown in New York. The event provides the rare opportunity for collectors and jewelry enthusiasts to meet and acquire pieces from some of the most innovative creators in the field.

"The jewelry content of LOOT 2019 is particularly noteworthy in two specific areas," said LOOT Curator Bryna Pomp. "Firstly, this year's exhibition presents a great number of outstanding young makers who are already creating groundbreaking work. Secondly, it features a larger presence of jewelry in precious metals, particularly in silver and in gold, often with semiprecious and precious stones, that is exceptionally original in design."

MAD is the only museum in the United States with a gallery dedicated to the display of both special jewelry exhibitions and its permanent collection of contemporary and modern studio and art jewelry. LOOTextends MAD's commitment to presenting jewelry as an art form, and provides vital support for Museum exhibitions and programs.

"LOOT reflects the core of MAD's mission to celebrate the creative process and connect audiences to contemporary art and design," said Marsy Mittlemann, LOOT 2019 Co-Chair. "It presents an extraordinary opportunity for artists and viewers to interact with one another and engage in conversations around the work. I am honored to participate in an event that provides a platform for international talent while supporting MAD's exciting upcoming initiatives."

"LOOT is always exceptionally curated, and 2019 promises to be the best edition to date," said LOOT 2019 Co-Chair Joan Hornig. "No other exhibition in the world brings viewers into contact with the diversity of design and designers showcased each spring at MAD. It is the perfect venue for both serious and first-time collectors to engage with global talent and purchase unique pieces of wearable art at every price point."

LOOT 2019 features fifty-five artists from eighteen countries and territories: Austria (1), Belgium (1), Chile (2), Finland (1), France (2),Germany (6), Italy (2), Korea (5), Poland (1), Portugal (2), Spain (5),Sweden (1), Taiwan (1), Thailand (1), Turkey (3), the United Kingdom (14), the United States (6), and the US Virgin Islands (1). In addition to a diverse range of artistic practices, the jewelry on display encompasses a wide array of materials, from traditional metals to more unconventional media like leather, glass, porcelain, paper, silicone, resin, textiles, wood, horsehair, recycled skateboards, and ultraviolet-reactive nylon.

Awarded annually by a jury, the LOOT Acquisition Prize recognizes a LOOT jewelry artist or designer whose work reflects maturity in artistry and concept, exhibits both a superior and an experimental understanding of materials and form, and demonstrates expertise in technique and execution. MAD's permanent collection includes nearly one thousand pieces of jewelry, spanning the mid-twentieth century to the present day. The LOOT Acquisition Prize formalizes the Museum's goal of enhancing its collection by acquiring jewelry from artists who have made significant contributions to the field and whose work provides historical context for MAD's mid- to late-twentieth-century pieces, as well as from emerging artists who are an important force in the contemporary art jewelry scene.

The 2019 jury is chaired by Barbara Paris Gifford and Elissa Auther together with LOOT Co-Chairs Joan Hornig and Marsy Mittlemann, LOOT Curator Bryna Pomp, and Board Chair Michele Cohen. The 2019 LOOT Acquisition Prize will be awarded on April 8 during the Opening Benefit dinner.

In 2018, the prize was jointly awarded to Isabelle Molénat and Sarran Youkongdee. Past LOOT artists who have had works acquired by the Museum include the well-established art jeweler Iris Nieuwenburg and the emerging jewelry artist Casey Sobel. Alena Willroth, who was awarded the inaugural LOOT Acquisition Prize in 2016, will be a returning artist this year.

The LOOT 2019 Opening Benefit takes place on Monday, April 8, beginning with a cocktail hour and reception at 4:30 pm. The evening's activities include first access to the LOOT exhibition and sale-an exclusive opportunity to meet this year's artists and acquire their designs-as well as a dinner honoring the recipients of the LOOT Award.

The LOOT Award recognizes luminaries in the field of jewelry, including artists, collectors, and designers. This year's honorees are jewelry designer and philanthropist Adria de Haume and jewelry and fashion designer Josie Natori. Past recipients include fashion icon Iris Apfel (2013), collector Barbara Berger (2013), jewelry designer Joan Hornig (2016), fashion designer Kay Unger (2016), and artists Joyce J. Scott (2014) and Axel Russmeyer (2012).

The LOOT 2019 Opening Benefit Host Committee comprises Susan Ach, Iris Apfel, Davina Benshetrit, Caroline Blackman, Noreen Buckfire, Marian C. Burke, Kathy Chazen, Michele Cohen, Paolo Costagli, Stacy Creamer, Emily Cutler, Marcia Docter, Patti Dweck, Beth Farber, Sandy Grotta, Joon Han, Jan Huling, Barbara Jacobs, Ann Kaplan, Wendy Tarlow Kaplan, Jane Koryn, Laura Kruger, Luisa LaViola, Bonnie Levine, Pam Levine, Tina Livanos, Jackie Martin, Stacey Mayrock, Ella McHugh, Robert Lee Morris, Edie Nadler, Michelle Perr, Linda Plattus, Andi Potamkin, Barbara Regna, Heidi Rigney, Deborah Roberts, Lela Rose, Jill Ryan, Bette Saltzman, Gail Shields-Miller, Angela Sun, Ted Taylor, Barbara Tober, Isabel and Ruben Toledo, Kay Unger, Barbara Waldman, Janet Winter, Marcia Celis Wirth, Pamela Workman, Jan Wysocki, and Lynn Yaeger.

To purchase tickets to the LOOT 2019 Opening Benefit, to be held on Monday, April 8, visit thestore.madmuseum.org/collections/loot-2019