Jelena Behrend | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968 (age 56–57) Serbia |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Jewelry designer |
| Known for | Hammered chains |
| Website | https://www.jelenabehrendstudio.com |
Jelena Behrend (born 1968 [1] ) is a Serbian-born American jewelry designer based out of the Lower East Side in New York City. Described as fashion forward by New York (magazine), [2] her hammered pieces have been seen on Hollywood celebrities and in feature films. [3]
Originally a writer from Serbia, Behrend transitioned to jewelry making when she emigrated to the United States in 1988. [4] Unable to pursue a career in writing, she turned to the visual arts to express herself. Having acquired some technical skills when she was younger, Behrend was able to train with a master jeweler in Los Angeles before returning to New York City to open her first studio on Catharine Street. [5] She began by making wholesale jewellery for large department stores and then decided to focus on more personal pieces in 1996. Prior to owning her current namesake studio, she co-owned the Oxygène Collectif atelier with former Wilhelmina model Maria Luisa Mosquera. [1] [6] [7]
Her hand-forged, hand-hammered, and hand-carved jewelry is of Hollywood´s most memorable characters. [5] Behrend is known in fashion circles for her handmade gender blurring jewelry, featured in many magazine layouts [8] [9] and also seen in the film The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo . [10] Her pieces have been worn by Madonna, Lenny Kravitz and Gwyneth Paltrow, [11] and are sold in high end boutiques or are custom made. [3] Relying on recycled metals, all of Behrend's work is hand forged using old tools. Her signature pieces are hammered chains that eschew mass-production and were inspired by the jewelry worn by European gypsies. [12] [4]
In 2008 Behrend produced a storefront installation with the artist Lisa Kirk, designed for a special edition of the fragrance Revolution. [13] [14]
Live FAST Magazine describes Behrend's pieces as being raw and edgy, stating that she "..holds true to the purest idea of an artisan". [15] Her technique also reveals a soulful approach to jewelry making. According to Behrend,"My biggest fear is that it is finished. You have to know when to stop. It has to still be alive." [5] In 2011, the Fitzroy Gallery located in Soho, Manhattan paid tribute to Behrend's methodology by exhibiting various videos, assemblages, and photographs regarding her work. [16]