Jewellery holds our attention, not only because of its ability to play with light – to sparkle – it also transmits signals of wealth and status.

Yet the intimate relationship we build with our jewels runs deeper; rooted in emotional ties to significant events, people and place. This complex relationship originates in ‘gifting’; a transaction that creates bonds, conveying a culture’s values through its most prized resources.

Using the language of jewellery Earls Boylan takes us on a thought-provoking journey, manipulating visual and historic cues. She draws on the tensions embedded within our value systems, reframing what “precious” within a jewel might be; its monetary value or its power to hold our attention and communicate sentiment.