Johanna Dahm
PROJECT
Johanna Dahm created these works by firing a machine gun at Swiss-stamped gold and silver bullion, transforming units of precious metal into rings. The works draw on the tale of fourteenth-century Swiss folk hero Wilhelm Tell, whose battle with the money-handlers of his day famously led to him being forced to shoot an apple balancing on his son’s head with a crossbow. Dahm’s works provoke discussion about the causes of the global financial crisis, from government debt to banking failures. This artistic intervention challenges traditional values and highlights the ongoing relevance of historical symbols in contemporary discourse.
The acquisition of this artist’s work is supported by Rosemary Merralls and Nora Merralls
ABOUT
Born in Basel in 1947 and raised in Cape Town, Johanna Dahm has been a pioneering figure in international jewellery since the 1970s. Dahm employs jewellery as a medium to explore the interplay of inner and outer worlds. Combining traditional goldsmith skills with far-removed techniques and materials, Dahm’s jewellery is a reaction to political discourse, social issues and everyday life. Her jewellery imbues the wearer with the diverse cultural influences that have informed her practice. Trained as a goldsmith at the Zurich School of Applied Arts, she expanded her studies in the US, the Amazon, Africa and India. As a tenured professor at the University of Design in Pforzheim (1990–2005), Dahm consistently redefined jewellery through unconventional materials and performance-based creation. Her work is featured in over thirty permanent collections, including the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (the Netherlands); the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (UK); the Museum of Arts and Design, New York (US); and the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (Japan).