JMGA Sydney 2015

So I’m back from #SnagBoston, and made it home to cap off a great, if somewhat frenetic, conference experience with the 2015 edition of that perennial favourite, #SnagFlu. I’m blaming the 6:30am fire alarm on Thursday morning for getting us all off to a premature start, and costing us the last bit of energy needed to scrape home with immunity uncompromised. I know that I did promise a Snag update (and no, this is not it) immediately following the conference, but it’s been delayed… Sorry chaps!

Rather than history, we’re looking forward, as it’s time to remind y’all that coming up from the 10th – 12th of July is the biannual JMGA Conference, this time hosted by the wonderful team in Sydney, which is this year entitled edgesbordersgaps. From the exhibition media:

In 2015 the broader conference project includes 3 days of talks; an exhibition program; a workshop program (pre- and post- conference); social events, including the infamous Pin Swap; and additional satellite events [that] include a multitude of jewellery exhibitions.

Guest speakers include:- Peter Bauhuis, Pravu Mazumdar, Atinuj Tantavit, Gitte Nygaard & Josephine Winther (Makers Move). Workshop hosts include Philip Sajet, Peter Bauhuis, Vick Mason, Sue Lorraine and Catherine Truman.

For the extended blurb see the website; I’m going to cut to the chase on this:

YOU’VE GOT PRAVU MAZUMDAR!

The name might not immediately ring bells, but if you keep up to date on the AJF website (RSS that sh*t, c’mon people, it’s important) and blog you will know him as the author of two (or one, if you push the halves of what was intended as a whole back together) of the best posts that went up last year. His critique of criticism is  well reasoned and beautifully written, and his analysis of Bruce Metcalf meticulous and incisive, and the whole piece a master work on the subject, both necessary and timely. But don’t believe me:

Against Criticism pt I
Against Criticism pt II

Not yet convinced? He’s spoken in Munich during the Schmuck week at Die Neue Sammlung – The International Design Museum Munich, and written catalogue essays for Alchimia amongst others. If I had not already made my quota of trips back home for the next 3 years in the last 12 months I’d be stomping onto an A380 and getting my butt to Sydney for his presentation alone. I cannot wait to hear what else has been forming in this person’s brain. I will willingly give this little stage to any person who wants to share, or perhaps even critique, his presentation in Sydney.

And there’s more! For some more detail on the rest of the presentations, check out the Speakers tab on the website.