Maya Antoun is a jeweller with a unique multi ethnic background. Born and raised in Africa, her work is influenced and informed by her culturally diverse upbringing as well as her experience gained from living in Africa and working with traditional African jewellers.
Meditation on Culture
Maya Antoun explores the reality of globalization and the hybrid cultural ethnicity, offering objects that indicate how individuals of ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds might re-interpret traditional jewellery to new ends. Antoun is especially interested in working with techniques such as filigree which are slowly disappearing. She uses this technique as a focal point within her work. Filigree is a complicated time consuming technique which takes time to master. By trying to find new and fresh uses for the technique she creates a strong cultural aesthetic as well as creating a contemporary object.The joining and juxtaposing of different cultural elements meshes eastern and western attitudes with contemporary idioms and traditional forms into singular vocabulary.
This project was realised through collaboration with traditional filigree artisans in Sudan and Congo DRC as part of Antoun’s long-term venture which aims to encourage collaborations between craft and design within the sphere of traditional African jewellery. The goal is to develop viable new markets for this contemporary traditional jewellery within Africa as well as in the west.
mayantoun@gmail.com
+44 (0)7753492909
CSM MA DESIGN 2010 
Posted on June 21, 2010
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