Punk Rocks
A collaboration with Objects of Mass Distraction - conceptualised by OOMD Gallery, designed in collaboration with @abigailchui, and handmade by artisans in Singapore.
Words by Charlene, of OOMD
THE IDEA
While Punk Rocks takes inspiration from expensive fine jewellery, there are no carats, brilliant cuts or gleaming facades. Where a diamond or precious stone would typically be now sits a nondescript rock that many would consider dull and worthless. This found rock, surrounded by assorted semi-precious stones, takes centre-stage in its raw, unpolished state.
This deliberate placement invites us to rethink what we deem beautiful or valuable, question the marketing fairy tales we have been told and sold, and consider the influence of out consumption habits on unethical and unlawful practices in the gem trade.
The intentions behind Punk Rocks are to elevate the ordinary and raise questions about notions of beauty, value, ethics and sustainability.
Myanmar supplies many of the world’s rubies, sapphire and jade, among other gemstones. The country’s military, which partly controls the mines that produce these gems, collects funds from mining activities. Exploited workers mine in unsafe working conditions, with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis increasingly common among them.
OOMD believes that beauty should not come at the expense of basic human rights and the environment.
25% of the sale will go to Mutual Aid Myanmar, in support of their fight for democracy and human rights.
See more details at https://abigailchui.com/oomd