I feel something on the INSIDE of my body, a feeling of nagging worry. It is an emotion equally important as every other emotions we humans have. But the feeling of worry is very complex as it may come in different shapes and sizes, and how much it affects us differs from person to person. For some people thoughts of worry escalates and becomes overwhelming which causes an emotion of anxiety which in turn could lead to a panik attack. In my exam project and my artistic presentation I focus on that emotion of anxiety when you panic and you loose control. The reason for this emotion could be many but I am interested in how expectations and demands both from ourselves, others and society leads to us trying to keep it all together, stay in control and/or wanting to show an OUTSIDE that everything is fine. 

Through social media, internet and commercials we are all exposed to information which tells us how to achieve ”the perfect life” and images of people having an eventful life. All of this creates expectations. In society today worry and anxiety are emotions that are connected to something negative and is often seen as a weakness. In our attempt to hide the emotion of worry and anxiety we communicate to the people on the outside that everything is fine, by for example using jewelry, make-up and clothes to show a beautiful facade almost like putting on a shield before we go outside to meet the world. Why do we do that? And for whom?

I chose the necklace as the traditional piece of jewelry to symbolize beauty, stability and to communicate to people that you have everything under control and that everything is fine. The necklace  becomes part of the facade that will stand for beauty, tradition and a measure of prosperity. This is what you show on the outside of the body but on the inside that is where you hide away your worries and anxiety which is built up due to expectations. Expectations which in time will be too many and too much for you to handle, the same as with anxiety. One part of my artistic presentation is to try and visualise how these expectations are put upon you while you are trying to control them and at the same time show off a stable and beautiful outside. But no matter how hard you try to communicate that everything is fine and trying to keep everything together, in the end, what you feel on the inside of the body will seep out to the outside. I am making a attempt to show how this eventually makes you loose control. The beautiful necklace is impossible to sustain which also makes me question my own traditional view of what a necklace is. Another part of my artistic presentation is about value and to make objects that could be used as conversation pieces to start a dialog about worry and anxiety. The materials I am using symbolises the feeling when anxiety takes control of your body and staines the individual.

The aim of this exam project is to raise thoughts about a complex emotion, norms in society, and to investigate what a necklace is or could be. Jewelry is a way of communicating with other people and one way to show who you are or whom you want to be. As a contemporary art jeweller I am exploring my topic in a conceptual way.