
Rana's work as a jeweller is highly conceptual. The pieces have a very subtle aesthetic and quietly hint at a deeper narrative. Underlying it all is her developed skill in the craft of jewellery-making. She expresses her deep passion for the place of jewellery in our life through the pieces themselves, allowing the voice of the carefully selected materials to tell stories.
In another section of the gallery, Rana has installed her interactive exhibit, "Meaning and Attachments". Here, she allows visitors to put their own jewellery on display, by being photographed and writing down the story behind the pieces. You see pride, happiness, regret, and other emotions on the faces of the visitors as they pose for Rana's camera. Visitors become models, and everyday accessories become gallery pieces. The value comes from the stories contained between the two.
Mah Rana graduated from the RCA before starting a successful commercial practice. She says, of her practice, "I really need to keep a balance between the mass production work and the one-off art works so I scaled the more commercial side down a little." For designers and craftspeople concerned with meaning, Rana is an inspiration.
Mah Rana at the Crafts Council of Ireland: http://www.ccoi.ie/news/news_item.php?listing_ID=129
Interview with Mah Rana by the Design Council: http://www.yourcreativefuture.org.uk/crafts/crafts_designer01_05.htm
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