Liesbet Bussche

Sculptures dans la ville: Les bijoux urbains, Namur, Belgium

Belgian designer Liesbet Bussche has created a series of five large necklaces in the city of Namur. These site-specific artworks are part of the designer’s ongoing series ‘Urban Jewellery’ in which she brings jewellery, usually experienced as an intimate gift, into public space. She enlarges archetypal jewellery and links them to urban elements to create unexpected encounters in daily life.

The five necklaces are placed along the rivers Meuse and Sambre in Namur. During the summer, the quays along these waters change into sunny promenades, allowing local people and tourist to stroll along the river, enjoying the sun on a boat or playing with their children on the banks. Hence, the function of the rivers transforms from work to leisure.

To emphasize this transformation and to celebrate the role water can have in a social environment, Bussche has decided to make the five necklaces out of nautical material. These include thick ship’s rope, colourful fishing floats and heavy stainless steel chains combined with precious jewellery components. Five stainless steel pendants inspired by the summer and aquatic life adorn the necklaces.

The work can be discovered on a route that starts in the city at Rue du Pont, and goes to the harbour of Namur along Quai des Chasseurs Ardennais and Quai de Meuse. 'Sculptures dans la ville: Les bijoux urbains' are on display until august 27th.

Material necklaces: ship ropes (various sizes); fishing floats (various sizes); stainless steel rod, wire, ends, eye nuts and chains (short and long links)
Material pendants: stainless steel plate and rod