Warwick Freeman (born 1953), New Zealand, Large star, 1990, pearl shell, paint, sterling silver, steel. Purchased 2002

Precious Pacific

Warwick Freeman has played with the four-pointed star form for so many years it’s almost become his ‘brand’. Large star, with its pearl shell and notches reminiscent of ancient East Polynesian adornments, is a fine example of what Freeman called ‘relevant jewellery’. It shows a distinct consciousness of New Zealand and its place in the Pacific.

A leader in New Zealand jewellery-making, Freeman looked locally, rather than to Europe, for materials and inspiration, as did Alan Preston and other like-minded jewellers in the late 1980s.

Note: This work has been removed to make way for the exhibition New Zealand at the Venice Biennale 2009.
More information about the Venice Biennale exhibition