Tiffany Is Mad About Jewelry

Tiffany & Co. Foundation Jewelry Gallery, a new state-of-the art jewelry resource centre at New York's Museum of Arts And Design (MAD), opened last week with its inaugural show, Elegant Armor: The Art of Jewelry. The exhibition explores the inspirations for contemporary jewelry, including the fine arts, the human form and the natural world. Featuring over 130 works from 1948 to the present, pieces are drawn from the museum’s collection of approximately 450 modern and contemporary works and will be on display until March 2009.

The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Jewelry Gallery, which will house the entire collection in accessible study drawers, is a unique study center dedicated exclusively to contemporary jewelry. Located on the second floor of the new MAD building, the center also presents a rotating series of jewelry exhibitions and provides additional resources on the history of jewelry design through MAD’s online database. Ursula Ilse-Neuman, who was recently appointed curator for contemporary jewelry, will be in charge of the new space.

"No one is better suited to leading the Tiffany gallery's programming than Ursula … she's been instrumental in shaping our collection," Museum Director, Holly Hotchner, explained. “Our new jewelry center will be an important destination for New York’s culture and fashion communities.”

Contruction of MAD’s Columbus Circle location was a controversial topic for New Yorkers over the past few years, but it’s clear the City is now excited to add yet another artistic destination for both New York natives and out of town visitors. Mayor Bloomberg was at the ribbon cutting ceremony and voiced his full support.

"The Museum's new home at Two Columbus Circle will be a destination for audiences from around the corner and around the world…Congratulations to Holly Hotchner and the Museum's board, who have helped build a public-private partnership that will generate new audiences for the Museum and maintain the City's reputation as a cultural capital."

For more information about the Jewelry Gallery and the other exhibits at the Museum, visit their official website at www.madmuseum.org.