Warwick Freeman (b. 1953) is regarded as one of the world’s most influential contemporary jewelry artists. His works tell of his life, culture, and history, as well as the history of Aotearoa New Zealand and the country’s unique materials—from millimeterthick mother-of-pearl from the pearl shell to the iridescent inner membrane of the pāua (a rainbow abalone). In the 1980s Freeman co-revolutionized the world of New Zealand jewelry, which led to the creation of a unique artistic language. Initially influenced by western jewelry traditions, and later impacted by a growing awareness of Māori and Pacific adornment practices, Freeman has built a language of emblematic forms across five decades. Through jewelry making he discovers symbols that connect us—from Hook to Hand to Heart to Star.
