Artwork information

Eléna Gee is a leading contemporary jeweller who helped shape a distinctly local aesthetic in New Zealand body adornment using materials and techniques that reflect the region’s natural environment and cultural context in the Pacific. In 1988, she was one of only two women, alongside Jenny Pattrick, who featured in the landmark exhibition Bone Stone Shell: New Jewellery New Zealand, which toured Australia and Asia. Curator John Edgar noted that although the monetary value of bone, stone, and shell is low, the exhibition aimed to highlight their cultural and aesthetic significance.

Born in Auckland, Gee developed her craft skills early, learning how to work with shells from her grandmother and to do metalwork in her father's workshop. She often collected materials from the beach, finding that shells and pebbles held memories of earlier times as well as emitting a deep connection to nature. Gee described her process as making ‘memories wearable’, altering found materials only slightly – perhaps drilling a hole or adding a cord so the pieces retain their natural character. Her jewellery is known for its simplicity and elegance, celebrating the inherent beauty of materials like pāua shell and smooth stones, with a sense of freshness and informality.

Brooch consists of a shiny piece of pāua shell threaded with golden hues. Its shape resembles an abstracted bird’s wing and is supported by a silver backing. Gee has attached one single opal stone to the base of the wing which adds to the brooch’s sense of heroism. Winged figures are rife in classical mythology and include such gods as Hermes, Eros, and Nike.