Welcome to the September 2026 bi-monthly global news report from Art Jewelry Forum (AJF). As part of AJF’s ongoing mission to share comprehensive jewelry news, members and enthusiasts can stay informed on the latest open calls, major international exhibitions, museum reopenings, publications, and member highlights shaping the contemporary art jewelry field.
Open Calls and Career Opportunities
AJF’s 2027 Solo Exhibition Award
Art Jewelry Forum is currently accepting applications for its prestigious 2027 Solo Exhibition Award. Open to jewelry artists of any age and nationality, this $20,000 grant is designed to support the creation and realization of a dedicated solo exhibition that advances the practice of an artist working within the field of art jewelry, broadly defined. The evaluation panel for the 2027 award features esteemed industry figures Geraldine Fenn, Jorge Manilla, and Bella Neyman. Interested artists must submit their proposals by the deadline of November 15, 2026.
Earrings Galore 2026
Time is running out for studio jewelers to apply for Earrings Galore 2026, organized annually by the Heidi Lowe Gallery. This established juried exhibition showcases a rich and diverse array of earrings created by 60 emerging and established studio jewelers. The exhibition highlights individual approaches to the earring format through cohesive groupings of six pairs, emphasizing intentionality, attention to detail, and functional design considerations. The initiative aims to broaden public access to art jewelry, foster community connections, and provide collectors with opportunities to expand their holdings. The application deadline is September 13, 2026.
2027 Resonance Residency at Brooklyn Metal Works
Brooklyn Metal Works (BKMW) has opened applications for its 2027 Resonance Residency, offering jewelry artists a unique opportunity to develop their studio practice while leveraging New York City’s vibrant contemporary jewelry scene. Running for three months, the residency provides semi-private studio space, an unrestricted stipend of $300 per month, a $300 tool shop credit, a $600 coursework credit, a $500 artist lecture stipend, and paid instructional or workshop assistance opportunities. Applications open on September 9 and close on October 9, 2026.
Schmuck Special Show 2027
Applications are officially open for Schmuck 2027, widely recognized as the premier annual exhibition for international contemporary jewelry. Scheduled to run in March 2027 during Munich Jewelry Week, the exhibition features approximately 65 selected international artists. Participants are automatically eligible for top-tier industry accolades recognizing creative excellence, including the Herbert Hofmann Prize and the Bavarian State Prize. The application deadline is October 1, 2026.
AJF Programs, Travel, and Virtual Events
AJF Live with Geraldine Fenn
On September 9, 2026, AJF will host a live virtual discussion featuring Geraldine Fenn, the inaugural recipient of the 2025 Solo Exhibition Award. Fenn will discuss the developmental arc of her completed exhibition, Geraldine Fenn: Dispatch from the Colonies, which investigated the complex power dynamics of European colonization in Africa. The session will highlight completed works from the show and explore how the grant facilitated expanded research, new technical capabilities, and large-scale production. Special guests will join the session.
Travel to Houston with AJF
From September 23 to 26, 2026, AJF members are invited to join an exclusive trip to Houston, Texas, with day-trip options also available. The itinerary centers around the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), to celebrate the first US solo museum presentations of avant-garde jewelry pioneers Bernhard Schobinger and Dorothea Prühl. Participants will enjoy behind-the-scenes access with special guests Helen Williams Drutt English and Susan Cummins, attend a day-long international symposium, and visit the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft alongside private artist studios and local museum collections.
Exhibitions and Gallery Highlights
Metal Museum Reopens in Memphis
After a major and transformative institutional expansion, the Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee—the only museum in the world dedicated entirely to the art and craft of metalwork—officially reopens its public doors on September 11, 2026.
Marta Mattsson and Carina Shoshtary at Galerie Noel Guyomarch
Running from September 12 through October 31, 2026, Montreal’s Galerie Noel Guyomarch presents Bright Wings, Silent Waves, a dual exhibition featuring Marta Mattsson and Carina Shoshtary. Both artists draw inspiration from the natural world to metaphorically address pressing contemporary societal issues, with Mattsson utilizing brilliantly colored jewelry to explore self-assertion, while Shoshtary focuses on themes of protection. Mattsson is also participating in the massive Homo Faber 2026: An Island of Light exhibition at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, curated by the Michelangelo Foundation with artistic direction by Es Devlin.
Sarah Perkins at Mobilia Gallery
Celebrated American enamelist Sarah Perkins is currently exhibiting her latest series of brooches, necklaces, and earrings at Mobilia Gallery through September 26, 2026. Titled Galiella Enamellum, the new collection draws formal and chromatic inspiration from hairy cup mushrooms indigenous to the Midwest, combining superb raised silver forms, brilliant enamel colors, stitched seams, and gemstone integrations.
Hansel Tai at Platina
Stockholm gallery Platina presents Surf_ by Hansel Tai through September 17, 2026. Tai’s work investigates queer culture in the post-internet era, examining how digital freedom, adolescent exhilaration, and subcultural aesthetics intersect with high-gloss metal and body-focused art.
Mélanie Denis at Pistachios
Chicago gallery Pistachios is hosting Transition by Mélanie Denis through November 8, 2026. Spanning three years of production across multiple geographic territories and internal emotional states, the exhibition uses landscape and wearable objects as reflections of personal transformation, grief, emancipation, and rebirth.
Asagi Maeda at Fuller Craft Museum
In conjunction with her ongoing exhibition Stories on the Planet: Asagi Maeda at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, Massachusetts—running through November 8, 2026—artist Asagi Maeda will deliver a public presentation on October 3, followed by an in-gallery discussion on October 4 to share her conceptual inspirations and processes.
Art Jewelry Week Guadalajara
From September 7 to 12, 2026, Art Jewelry Week Guadalajara brings together artists, students, educators, and collectors in Mexico to celebrate the country’s rich material heritage while fostering continuous dialogue and community building around contemporary art jewelry.
Third Lisbon Contemporary Jewellery Biennial
Under the thematic umbrella of "Coexistences," the third edition of the Lisbon Contemporary Jewellery Biennial runs from September 19 to 27, 2026, featuring an extensive program of international exhibitions, master classes, a colloquium, and a dedicated gallery expo.
Venice Design Week Jewelry Selection
The jury has been finalized for I Don’t Shine, I Have Something to Say, an international jewelry exhibition taking place during Venice Design Week from October 9 to 18, 2026, at the Wonder Q Room within the Fondazione Querini Stampalia. Jurors representing organizations such as Pistachios Gallery, Thereza Pedrosa Gallery, and Alice Floriano Gallery will evaluate works for special awards.
Additional Notable Exhibitions
- Kerianne Quick: Oh Well Whatever Nevermind opens at Brooklyn Metal Works on September 26 and runs through November 8, 2026.
- Karl Fritsch and Jaime Jenkins: Onhold is on view at New Zealand gallery The National through September 12, 2026.
- Objects Beautiful: The East London pop-up Eastern Waves and Western Currents runs from September 17 to 24, 2026, exploring material diversity across East Asia and the West.
- Veronika Fabian: The Friedrich Becker Prize winner’s recent work remains on view at the Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau through October 18, 2026.
- Galerie Marzee: The 40th Marzee International Graduate Show opens on September 12, showcasing emerging global talent through November 17, 2026.
Symposia, Talks, and Member News
- Goldsmiths Fair Talks: AJF member Bella Neyman has curated a series of four discussions for the final week of September 2026 at the Goldsmiths Fair in London, featuring creators such as Castro Smith, Megan Brown, Joy BC, and Alice Biolo. Additional talks feature Alex Monroe, Dr. Frances Parton, and Hilton Ingram.
- MFAH International Symposium: On September 26, 2026, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, will host a free day-long symposium titled Perspectives on Contemporary Jewelry, featuring scholarly presentations and curator-led tours by Renate Luckner-Bien, Iris Eichenberg, Claudia Schmuckli, and Cindi Strauss.
- Karl Fritsch at DIVA Antwerp: Karl Fritsch will discuss his casting techniques, gemstone philosophy, and ongoing material experiments at the DIVA museum on September 24, 2026.
- San Francisco Metal Arts Guild: Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the guild will host a symposium at the Brower Center in Berkeley, California, on October 17, 2026, featuring Jennifer Altmann, Victoria Lansford, and Doug Bucci, alongside workshops and facility tours.
Publications Spotlighting Jewelry
- Eva Eisler: Tamed Infinity: Published by Arnoldsche, this monograph explores Eisler’s multidisciplinary career traversing jewelry, architecture, and fine art through conversations with architect Pavla Melková and essays by leading curators.
- Jewelry on the Wild Side by Elena Agostinis: Released by Oro Editions, this volume explores humanity’s universal urge toward self-adornment and the innovative use of earth-derived materials across remote cultures.
- The Secret Language of Jewellery in Art by Stella Grace Lyons: Published by Graffeg, this book decodes the hidden symbolic meanings of jewelry in historical portraiture.
- Journal of Jewellery Research: Volume 9 has officially been published online as the largest edition in the journal’s history.
- Vivienne Westwood and Jewellery: Authored by Alexander Fury and Andreas Kronthaler and published by Thames & Hudson, this publication provides an in-depth look at Westwood’s profound integration of jewelry into her fashion house’s identity.
