Ring Redux
The Susan Grant Lewin Collection is on display at SCAD
The Savannah College of Art and Design—or SCAD—has a thoughtfully curated Museum of Art that attracts visitors from around the world. The museum, housed in former railroad warehouses in Savannah’s downtown Historic District, features more than 10 unique gallery spaces. Both emerging and established artists have been presented in the galleries of the award-winning structural icon. 2021 marks a major milestone for the SCAD Museum of Art—a decade of bringing inspired artistry to Georgia’s oldest city.
The museum is known for engaging the local community and being a resource for SCAD students and alumni. With a mix of commissioned works and rotating exhibits, there is always something new to discover—like Ring Redux: The Susan Grant Lewin Collection. The collection opened as part of the 10-year anniversary kick-off celebration. There are over 100 artist-designed avant-garde rings featured, bringing a contemporary vision to the age-old jewelry form. Collected over a period of five years, the eclectic display comes from influential modern art jewelry collector Susan Grant Lewin. The collection reflects her openness to different artistic ideas, as well as aesthetic developments in design, craft, and technology.
“Rings are eminently personal adornments, often given or received to commemorate a special occasion. They signify chapters of note in a person’s life journey. Susan Grant Lewin’s acclaimed collection—elegantly depicted in Ring Redux from SCAD University Press—invites us to join in on this journey. More than a miniature sculpture or a sparkling gem, rings symbolize infinity. And surely there is no end to the universal appeal of this classic yet modern art form.” said Paula Wallace, SCAD President and Founder.
Each ring in the collection showcases the artists’ mastery of materials, thought-provoking ideas, and innovative techniques. The works on display date from the present day, all the way back to the 1950s. Included in the collection are pieces designed by international luminaries such as Claire Falkenstein and Bruno Martinazzi, alongside pieces by SCAD chair of jewelry Jay Song and alumnus Xiaotong Guo.
A testament to the friendship between Lewin and the university, this is the second exhibition of Lewin’s collection hosted by the SCAD Museum of Art. “With Ring Redux and its accompanying catalog, I have the immense honor of sharing my decades-long work to center and celebrate international jewelry visionaries as the true artists they are,” said Lewin. “I am grateful to Ursula Ilse-Neuman, President Wallace, SCAD Museum of Art associate curator Ben Tollefson, the artists included in the exhibition, and the entire SCAD community for the opportunity to share these exemplary works. It is my hope that their presentation in this exhibition, and later in the museum’s permanent collection, will serve to inspire creative thought and production for generations to come.”
The collection is on display in the museum’s André Leon Talley Gallery through January 30, 2022. Guests may tour the exhibit Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit SCADMOA.org.