Birds – the Tale

I meticulously created this piece for about two years, fascinated by the work of Scythian masters from the 4th century BCE. It was more than just fascination, perhaps a bit of an obsession… The reason for this reaction was the subject of this ancient work, hidden among the beautiful details.

It has three thematic levels: Level 1 depicts scenes from everyday life: craftsmen, a farmer milking a cow, farm animals, a cow nursing a calf. Level 2 consists of decorative plant motifs. Meanwhile level 3  depicts various creatures (including mythical ones) brutally devouring other animals. This content is hidden among incredibly attractive details, beguiling the observer, who, after a cursory glance, simply declares: “nice.”

I interpret this as a story about the drama, suffering, brutality, and, of course, death that unfolds around us, amidst, or even as part of, everyday life. It is invisible, or simply unnoticeable from the level of ordinary, routine reality.

My silver interpretation translates these millennia-old motifs into three other levels, which are closer to my heart: Level 1 depicts the ordinary, everyday life of sparrows, brooding their chicks, squabbling over grain, and so on. Level 2 is a floral motif depicting grain (the sparrows’ food). Level 3 depicts birds of prey as ferocious beasts, ruthlessly hunting those who would become their prey. All this drama and routine of life is also hidden among the numerous details, which, deceiving the superficial observer, earn them a trivial summary—”pretty.”

But, in truth, this is a story about the circle of life, which, while beautiful, is merciless.

I set myself the goal of handcrafting all the elements just as the 4th-century BCE masters I admired did. From melting the silver, making sheet metal, wires, twisting them, to hand-carving each bird’s wing, tail, and claw in silver, soldering them together, and then assembling them into a necklace. This slow, meticulous work resulted in 15 sparrows (+ 4 chicks), 10 birds of prey (including 4 owls, 5 eagles/falcons, and 1 kestrel), 1 duck, 1 hen, 5 rabbits, 1 ermine, 1 hedgehog, 3 mice, 1 snake, 2 fish, and 2 bird heads at the clasp. The entire piece is crafted from silver, in its natural white color.

Dimensions: outer diameter 18.5 cm, inner diameter 11.5 cm, maximum necklace width 7 cm, minimum 1 cm

Weight: 336.6 g

925 Silver