Keywords: dalya israeli, gemstones, israel, jewellery, metal casting, metals, modi’in, beads, pendant, ring

My Wish

Dalya Israeli

Dimensions

450 x 17 x 17 mm (pendant), 22 x 20 mm (ring)

Materials

Pendant: cast in 18k gold, sutured together with two gold beads hung on a chain; ring cast in 18k gold, set with six emeralds.

Artist statement

‘Growing up in Jerusalem I spent many hours walking through the markets and looking through the treasures on the streets of the Old City, a place where three religions try to live side by side. I wanted to create an object that looks like a religious item without knowing which religion or what it’s for. It could be used by Jews, Christians and Muslims and it looks like it has been used for many years. Lace can give you the feeling of an ‘aged’ object.

That idea symbolises my wish — that people will be connected and respect each other despite their differences and different religious beliefs, and can coexist in a land that is important for all, Israel. I wanted to design a mysterious object by creating spaces inside the object that you cannot see through clearly, while you feel there is something underneath the surface or inside it. Peeking through lace creates mystery.’