MALVADA Evil Woman

Whether its mythology, film or literature, a story without a villain is boring. The element of evil plays a fundamental part in capturing our attention and imagination. This work draws inspiration from the way female villains adorn themselves to show their status, ranging from the femme fatale to hybrid cannibalistic creatures. This has motivated the creation of powerful and sinister characters that occupy their own fantasy world; ‘Deep Sea Diva’ and ‘Dr. Leopard’. They are liberated and glamorous beings who decorate themselves in jewellery. A Brazilian heritage and exposure to carnival from a young age has directly informed this passion for theatrical jewellery and wearable sculpture. Carnival is a visceral explosion of rhythm, sensuality, colour, glitter, music and elaborate outfits. But it is also about story telling and has often been a platform through which ordinary people can satirise the rich and powerful, and question notions of gender and race. The performative and narrative potential of jewellery, combined with an exploration of experimental fabrication techniques  are central to this collection. The overall intention is to explore the cinematic and theatrical possibilities of jewellery by generating work that tells a story in a playful and sometimes mischievous manner.