The Real Karl

Day 7:
Today I met Karl Fritsch. The real Karl Fristch.
I'd like to say I talked to Karl, but after being introduced to him, I went beetroot red and laughed nervously while Karin preceded to tell Karl how I named Metrosideros Robusta 'Karl' and was carrying it around with me everywhere (only in transit!).

I'd like to think the whole situation was endearing (as opposed to pathetic and possibly very creepy) but it was a fine line...

However, all of this concentrating-very-hard-on-Karl's-rings-to-avoid-all-possibility-of-further-eye-contact gave me a unique opportunity to carefully look at each of the rings he had on display as part of Schmuck's Exempla 2011 - Workshops of the Future and reflect on the reasons why I love them so much.

His collection at Exempla was various; thick black ring bands pierced with rusty nails and screws, a skull leering with roughly bejewelled eyes, delicate bands of blackened silver and gold supporting precarious formations of faceted and rough stones and antique rings with free form shapes growing and twisting out of stone settings.

Karl's rings are both beautiful and ugly, delicate but heavy, rusty and shiny, permanent with temporary features, old and new, free formed yet meticulously made. Each ring is a little treasure-trove of contradictions which I can look at over and over again. And Metrosideros Robusta (aka Karl) is my treasure chest of Karl's creations.

V.