cindy sherman and catherine opie unveil enchantingly contemporary cameos

presented during 2019’s venice art biennale, artists cindy sherman and catherine opie have joined forces to create a series of contemporary cameos for LIZWORKS. the collection harks back to the classic beauty and long-standing tradition of carving to create a raised profile of an image – most often being a portrait. however, these new designs offer an updated twist on the ancient artwork, resulting in an assortment of endearing jewelry pieces.

‘self portrait nursing’ by catherine opie

main image (l-r): ‘pensive’ earrings by cindy sherman and ‘mary’ earrings by catherine opie, images courtesy of LIZWORKS

the tradition of cameos dates as far back to ancient greece, when portraits and depictions of ancient gods were carved into agate. the decorative art-form remained popular throughout history, most notably during the victorian era when the pieces predominately showed a female profile on an oval-shaped background. the method behind cameos involves relief carving to form a raised profile against a negative, and most typically contrasting, background. historically, cameos were made using semi-precious gemstones, however, glass and shell have been more commonly utilized in recent times.

‘halo’ ring by cindy sherman, image courtesy of LIZWORKS

this new collection forms a series of captivating miniature sculptures, combining the ancient jewelry with modern concepts. the level of detail within the series of images creates a surprisingly life-like and animated form, bringing the object into the 21st century. ‘the exploration of the cameo as a contemporary canvas brought me immediately to the work of catherine opie and cindy sherman,’ liz swig, founder of LIZWORKS explains. ‘to see their work three dimensionally carved and seductively sculpted in the tradition of the cameo is a complete thrill.’

‘baby’ ring by cindy sherman, image courtesy of LIZWORKS

the american photographer and film director, cindy sherman, has reimagined the cameo as ‘the original selfie’. the artist, whose previous work questions issues of femininity and female stereotypes depicted in the media, both respects the traditional formality of the cameo, while also turning it on its head. ‘I like cameos, especially the idea of dark, strange ones. I also like the idea of tiny objects being art. it seemed like a good project for using my instagram images since the files aren’t large enough files to blow up into photographs, and they also concentrate on being mainly portraits. it’ll make it more fun to wear it as a piece of art,’ sherman comments.

‘spa’ brooch by cindy sherman, image courtesy of LIZWORKS

alternatively, by drawing upon themes of intimacy and family, catherine opie’s cameos create highly personal images. by fusing provocative content with formal craft, the american photographer has become most recognised for her work which examines the norms surrounding the social construction of the ‘american dream’ and ‘american identity’. this ‘provocation’ can be seen in her cameo design, as she has chosen to depict a highly-intimate and personal self-portrait of her breast-feeding her baby.

‘oliver and mrs. nibbles’ brooch by catherine opie, image courtesy of LIZWORKS

opie observes, ‘the artworks I selected are very personal to me and my connection to my family. in the process of making the photographs into three-dimensional objects, I thought of images that would be visually compelling, but also iconic works of mine as an artist. i’ve always been interested in the relationship to object making even within the photographic medium. a cameo is something that can be worn every day that doesn’t hang on a wall—the piece becomes more sculptural than a photograph with texture and dimension.’

‘munch’s logs’ cufflinks by catherine opie, image courtesy of LIZWORKS

unveiled during the occasion of 2019’s venice art biennale, the cameos each illustrate a miniature world designed by artists cindy sherman and catherine opie. the pieces are hand-carved in italy in small editions under the vision of gino di luca, a third-generation cameo maker in torre del greco, where shell cameos have been produced for centuries. set in gold and ornately adorned, the collection provides a refreshing and beguiling twist on a classic art-form.