August 27 - October 2022

 ‘MORPH’ represents the final body of work created by the twelve participants of Handshake6.

A mentoring programme established by Peter Deckers and Hilda Gascard, HANDSHAKE has for over ten years connected emerging jewellery practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand with a mentor to help develop their practice over a two year period. Bringing together a diverse range of mentees and mentors, numerous exhibitions and publications have resulted, along with the great many relationships that have helped continue our jewellery community with the wider world.

Handshake6 commenced in January 2020, participants gathering to meet for the first time, for a series of workshops with leading jewellers Iris Eichenberg and Renee Bevan. What began then was an epic journey into the unknown - by March 2020 New Zealand and much of the world was in lockdown due to the global Covid pandemic. Unrelenting, Handshake6 participants continued to build relationships with their mentors, developing work and engaging in a series of workshops with the esteemed Estela Saez Vilanova.

Already the members of Handshake6 have delivered three successful exhibitions across the motu; ‘Handshake in Hamilton’ was presented at Laree Payne Gallery in early 2020. ‘Signing In’ presented the first body of new work undertaken by the participants during their mentorship, at Te Auaha in November 2020 - the intended halfway point toward the final exhibition.

But circumstances impacted, and 2021 came and went. Participants were delighted however, to be able to present a snapshot of their work at anappropriately titled exhibition ‘Glimmer’ at Whirinaki Whare Taonga in May 2022.

 Now, in August 2022, two and a half years since commencing, the twelve participants of Handshake6 are delighted to present this concluding body of work.

Historically, morph derives from the Greek morph, meaning ‘form’, ‘shape’, or ‘structure’ - all key attributes of jewellery practice. Morph also refers to transformation, and this exhibition seeks to demonstrate this quality in the development of each participant’s practice through their engagement with both the mentors and with each other.

 Finally, in linguistics, morph is understood as the smallest unit of language with meaning. As individuals within a collective, we may consider each as a morph - each participant clearly understood on their own terms, but whom collectively express a language greater than the sum of their parts. A great many people have contributed to the success of this exhibition and this mentorship. The participants of Handshake6 would like to express their sincere thanks to all to have contributed to their success, most especially: Peter and Hilda for their tireless organisation, to all the mentors, both personal and those who conducted stimulating and engaging workshops with the group, all the staff of the many galleries who have welcomed them into their spaces. And finally - to all the friends and family who have given such valuable support along the way.