Helge Larsen and Darani Lewers

It is twenty-five years since Helge Larsen and Darani Lewers transferred operations from Copenhagen to Sydney and formed a partnership. Since that time, Australian studio jewellery has come of age with Helge and Darani as two of the principal figures in that movement.

This timely exhibition traces the artistic career of two of the most influential figures in their field, and together with the accompanying catalogue, reveals two significant aspects of their life and work.

The first is their uniquely successful collaboration as a husband and wife team and their sensibilities as jewellers and designer – makers of hollow-ware. Their work demonstrates a consistent quality and technical mastery, and an unswerving commitment to the accessibility of their pieces to viewers, wearers and users. In many instances, life-long friendships have evolved from this artist/client relationship; a friendship and mutual respect demonstrated by the preparedness on the part of the owners, to lend readily to this exhibition.

Sourced from: Judith O’Callaghan, Helge Larsen & Darani Lewers: a retrospective, National Gallery of Victoria, 1986, p. 3