Mette Saabye
ette Saabye (1969) is trained as a goldsmith and subsequently as a jewellery designer at the Institute of Fine Metals in Copenhagen. Mette established her own jewellery business in 1996.
Mette Saabye has since obtained recognition as one of Denmark’s most reputable jewellery makers and designers.
About her Jewellery
Since 1996, Mette has designed jewellery collections and executed artistic projects, which have been exhibited and distributed by a wide selection of galleries and museums in Denmark and abroad.
In her work as designer and jewellery artist, Mette is dedicated to exploring and pushing jewellery as a concept and its potential as a body-related object. She religiously challenges the understanding of jewellery’s functionality, value, aesthetic qualities and communicative potential.
Through her jewellery, she strives to convey her reflections on themes like: reality/illusion, human communication, time and memory. Mette has a rich mode of expression, which she unfolds in the materials and compositions that are best suited to convey a particular theme.
“Jewellery is an expression of personal dreams, wishes and identity. Jewellery has become my language, my way of communicating observations, opinions and experiences to people all over the world. My language is based on materials, form and function that is easy to understand.â€
About her Career
In addition to running her own business, Mette Saabye has curated exhibitions, taught and given lectures at a wide range of jewellery education institutions and museums in Denmark and abroad, served as Master of the Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild and worked as Global Head of Design for Trollbeads A/S. In 2013, Minister of Culture, Marianne Jelved appointed her as a member of the Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Crafts and Design for the period 2014 – 2015.
Mette Saabye has be awarded numerous grants and awards over the years, including The Danish Arts Foundation’s Three-year working grant, The Biennale for Craft and Design prize, Ole Haslund’s Art Foundation, The Kai Bojesen memorial grant as well as the Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild’s Honorary Grant.
Mette Saabye
17. February 1969
Education:
1994-96: Studies at Institute of Precious Metals, Cph. DK.
1990-94: Goldsmith apprentice at Fl. Larsen Studio, Cph. DK.
1989-90: Studies in Florence at Fuji Studio Goldsmith School.
Selected Exhibitions:
2017: "Beyond Icons" Koldinghus, Kolding DK - " Identity" The of Gallery Art, Legnica, PL "Stone Poetry - A Slice of Home" ATTA Gallery, Bangkok, TH
2016: "Boilingpot" Gallery Goldfingers, Cph. DK - “Schmuck†München, D - â€Danish Arts and Crafts†Galerie für Angewandte Kunst, München, D - â€Danish Design Now†Designmuseum Denmark, Cph. DK - â€Garnish†Thomas Mann’s Gallery, Brooklyn Metalworks & Baltimore Jewelry Center, US
2015: â€The Danish Arts Foundation's Jewellery collection†Beijing, CN - â€The Danish Arts Foundation's Jewellery collection†MoA, Seoul, PRK - â€Sct. Loye†RundetÃ¥rn, Cph. DK - â€KORU5†Vaasa Art Hall & Imatra Art Museum, FI - â€Garnish†Equinox Gallery & Velvet da Vinci Gallery, US
2014: “Schmuck†München, D - “Mari Funaki, Award for contemporary jewellery exhibition†Gallery Funaki, Melbourne, AU - “Shanghai Jewelry art exhibition†Shanghai, CN
2013: “Mindcraft12†Fuori Salone, Milano IT - “CODA Paper Art Exhibition†Apeldoorn, NL - “ALATYR†Amber Museum Kaliningrad, RU - “KCDA Annual Exhibition†Korea Craft Designer Association. - “Objects of desire†Galerie Jewelerswerk, Washington, US - “Beijing International Jewelry Art Biennial†Beijing, CN
2012: “Jewellery Unleashed!†Museum fur Gestaltung in Zurich, CH - “A Boat is a Boat..is a Boat a Boat?†ATTA Gallery, Bangkok, TH - “My favourite Things†Gallery Mette Saabye, Cph. DK
2011: “Currency†THINK THANK – “Abushan – grass to gold – Dialogue for the 21.st. century“ WCC, Delhi, IN. - “Applied Arts in Europa†WCC-BCC Mons, BE - “Jewellery unleashed!†MMKA, Arnhem, NL.
2010: “Lost in time†solo show at Galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam NL.
2009: “...Another Man's Treasureâ€, Galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam NL. - “KNOW HOW†Tallin applied Art Triennal, Estonian Art & Design Museum, Tallin, EE.- “FOR LONG AND FAITHFUL DUTY - 10 YEARS OF BEAUTY†Platina, Stockholm S. - “Sustainable jewellery†Galerie Louise Smit, Amsterdam NL.
2008: “Danish jewellery†Franz Mayer museum, Mexico City, MX - “Everything that glitters...†Trapholt, DK
2007: “Collect†Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK. - “Design and Crafts Biennial†Koldinghus, DK. - “European Voices†Galleri Object Space, NZ.
2006: â€In reality.......†solo exhibition, Art and Crafts Museum, Cph. DK.
2005: â€Use it†Expo 2005, JP. - â€Danish†Danish Design Center, Cph. DK. - â€Languages†Galerie 422, Gmunden, AT. + Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt am Main D. - â€Wearable opinions†Galleri Norsu, Helsinki, SF.
2004: “Design and Crafts Biennial†Trapholt DK. - “Costume of the soul†solo show, Platina, Stockholm S. - “Rings in dialogue†The National museum, Cph. DK.
2003: ''Jewellery in Light'' Ã…rhus Fine Arts Museum, Ã…rhus DK. - ''Beyond the myth'' Scandinavian Travel Exhibition. 2003-2007.
2002: "Ornamenta†Autum Exhibition“ Charlottenborg, Cph. DK. - “5 years†Anniversary Exhibition, Gallery Hnoss S.
2001: "Second Nordic Jewellery Triennial" Röhsska Museet, Göteborg S. Museum of applied art, Tallinn, EE. Lathi City Museum, Lathi, FI. Designmuseum Denmark, Cph. DK. Sørlandets Art museum, N.
2000: "Spring Exhibition†Charlottenborg, Cph. DK. - "The decorated ego" Queen Fabiola Hall, Antwerp, BE.
1999: "Young Danish jewellery design" Gallery Hnoss, Gothenburg S. - "Objects of desire" Kentucky US.
1998: "Schmuck" München D. - "Upside down - Inside out" Rundetårn, Cph. DK. - "Branching out" Designmuseum Denmark, Cph. DK.
1997: â€Talente ´97†International trade fair, München D. - Novanta Nove, Amsterdam NL.
1996: “The Art and Craft Reward 1879†Designmuseum Denmark, Cph. DK.
1995: “The Design and Crafts Biennial†Designmuseum Denmark, Cph. DK.
Grants & Awards:
The Danish State Arts Foundation, 3 year-working Grant: 2006
The Danish State Arts Foundation: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016
The Danish State Arts Foundation, Project support: 2016
The Design Foundation / Danish Crafts: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2013
The National Bank foundation: 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2015
Ausa Regitze Tilly’s Fund: 1994, 2015
Winner of The Design and Crafts Biennial, F. L. Foghts Fond: 2004
Grand Prix, ALATYR, Amber Museum Kaliningrad: 2013
Others: Sleipnir, Emil Marie Albreckts memorial Fund, Præmieselskabet, Direktør Christian Grauballes memorial Fund, Ole Haslund Art Fund, Vald. Selmer Trane og Hustrus Elisa Trane´s Fund, Dansk Metal, Copenhagen Goldsmith Fund, The Sct. Loye Reward, Københavns kommune kulturfond, Kai Bojesens memorial Fund. Hetsch-medal, Bronze
Collections:
Amber Museum Kaliningrad, RU, 2013
Musée Grobet Labadié, Marseille, FR, 2013
The Danish Arts Foundation, DK, 97, 03, 04, 07, 08 09
“The Arts Foundation of 14. August†DK, 2000, 05, 12
“Rotasa Foundation†California, US, 2007
“Design Museum Denmark†DK, 2006, 2008
“Pahlman Collection†SF, 2002
“Copenhagen Goldsmith Guild†DK, 2001
Literature:
“Koru5 - International contempoary Jewelleryâ€
“Det unikke danske smykke†ISBN 978-87-92547-02-6
"Paper Jewellery" ISBN 9781408131442
â€On Jewellery, a compendium of International contemporary jewellery†ISBN 978-3-89790-349-4
“Lost in Time†ISBN 87-989994-7-8
“The jewellery compendium†ISBN 978-3-939130-95-6
“Adorn - new jewellery†ISBN 978 1 85669 574 9
“In Reality...†ISBN 87-989994-3-5
“Danish Design†ISBN 87-02-00415-1
“Rings in Dialogue†ISBN 87-990397-0-2
“Second Nordic jewellery Triennial†ISBN 87-17-07114-3
“Danish Art Jewellery 1960-2000†ISBN 87-17-06996-3
Teaching & lectures
2016: Kolding Design School, DK
2015: Kaliningrad School of Art & Design, RU - KEA, Cph. DK
2014: Birmingham School of Design, UK - CAFA Jewellery department Beijing, CN
2013: Rhode Island School of design, US
2012: Memory in Design, Kolding Design School Conference, DK
2010: Escola Massana, Barcelona E. - University of Ulster Belfast, IR
2005-10: Institute of Precious Metals, Cph. DK.
2008: Franz Mayer Museum, Mexico City, MX
1998: Hiko Mizune Jewellery Department, Tokyo, JP
1996: Kolding Design School. DK.
Work experience
2015: Officially appointed external examiner at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation, Design School Kolding & School of Architecture Aarhus
2015: Jury member, ALATYR, Amber Museum Kaliningrad, RU
2014-15: Board member of the The Danish State Arts foundation for Crafts and Design, DK
2013-2014: Global head of design at Trollbeads A/S
2008-14: “Master of Guildâ€, Copenhagen Goldsmith guild, DK
2005-10: Teaching at Institute of precious Metals, Cph. DK.
2005: Established Workshop & Gallery Mette Saabye, Cph. DK
2001: Co founder of Designer Zoo Copenhagen, DK
2001-: Freelance designer at Trollbeads A/S
1996-: Self-employed Jewellery artist, designer & goldsmith. Workshop established
Member of
2001-14: Board member of Copenhagen Goldsmith Guild, DK
2005-6: Member of The Charlottenborg committee, Spring exhibitions, Cph, DK
1997-: Copenhagen goldsmith Guild, DK