Winona Dodds-Smith is a London-based jewellery designer and maker interested in the anthropomorphic nature of objecthood. Having studied at Central Saint Martins for the past four years, she is drawn to using the jewellery-making skills she learned there to craft objects you might not expect to find within a jeweller’s practice.
Current Obsession: Could you tell us the story behind your graduation project and what drew you to the subject?
Winona Dodds-Smith: I named my project ‘Curiomantive,’ a word I invented to mean a small, decorative object intended to encourage intrigue. My collection explores objecthood, focusing on the intersection between the brutalism of functional objects and the ambiguity of accessories.
The project counters my disdain for modern, utilitarian design. I am interested in suggested function and aim to create art objects that make the viewer wonder: what is that? How does it work? What is it for?
I hope that through being held, hung and displayed, each vessel contributes to a person’s functional and aesthetic environments. Ultimately, I want to promote a more romantic relationship with the everyday.
CO: Beyond the gallery, where do you see your work taking root and finding its life? Who do you hope to reach with your work?
WDS: I view my graduate collection as an exploration of ‘art objects.’ In trying to expand my concept as widely as possible, I created work that pushes our understanding of jewellery and accessories.
I view the collection as a grounding for my universe, and my aim for the rest of the year is to refine the qualities of the work into more wearable and commercial objects that will allow people to own and wear a piece of my creative universe.
CO: What’s your favourite studio ritual?
WDS: When I was in the depths of my final year, I ate around 50 Jaffa Cakes a week and listened to a lot of 2000s grime.
