This exhibition is a survey of the intricate, meticulous and visually-compelling work of Vancouver-based artist Karin Jones. Jones’ work Worn, on loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, is a Victorian mourning dress crafted from synthetic hair, evoking the complexity of African identity shaped by colonial displacement, slavery and oppression. Rooting this work to the local, a new iteration of the work Freed utilizes an early 20th century dress from the collection of the Burnaby Village Museum. Jones’ history as a goldsmith is highlighted through Damascene inlay work on objects such as farm tools, with new works presented in mixed media exploring European beauty ideals, furthering her exploration of notions of beauty and race through fine craft.

Karin Jones is an interdisciplinary artist with a background in jewellery. She received a Diploma in Jewellery Art and Design from Vancouver Community College in 1993, before embarking on a more than twenty-year career as a goldsmith and independent artisan. Since 2007, her work has moved away from traditional jewellery and into contemporary art. She completed an MFA in Jewellery at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, followed by international apprenticeships in jewellery and blacksmithing techniques, and since 2013 has been the Department Head of Jewellery Art & Design at Vancouver Community College. Her work is held in the permanent collections of the Royal Ontario Museum, the Vancouver Art Gallery, and the Metal Museum (Memphis, Tennessee).