Usually when I’m ducking into the National Museum Scotland it’s to escape the typically bleak Scottish weather.  A welcome and warming retreat out of Edinburgh’s cold environs. However today as I visit I’m escaping the summer heatwave of which nobody can remember a parallel.  Despite the hot weather outside the venue is fair brimming with activity; School children are touring the treasure troves of Scottish history whilst younger kids are busied in a little art workshop, inspired to create their own mini masterpieces from having their imaginations run riot from the visuals they have witnessed from within this always-entertaining building.

Nestled behind the busy pre-schoolers is the exhibition I’m seeing today, MODERNIST JEWELLERY.  Here a sample of work from key designers from the 1950’s-1970’s highlights the jewellery that will be the forefront of the styles and designs that will stay in vogue to this day, albeit in a sober variation of the jewellery on display.

As ever the exhibits are beautifully arranged and set perfectly to highlight the glittering metals and shiny jewels.  It occurs to me that the forerunners of this style, mainly British or Nordic designers, seem to have embraced a distinctly Egyptian model to base their style upon, as many of the exhibits on display wouldn’t look out of place on ancient Egyptian drawings of glamorously beautiful Pharos who wore similar adornments.

If you are keen to see this display you will need to move quickly; This exhibition finishes on the 15th July.  However, the beauty of this display area is that something equally fascinating will be along straight after it.  Hence why I always say its always worth having a nosy in the Museum as there is always something new and exciting to see, beautifully presented, and for once it was good not to step back outside afterwards into a chilly day!

STEVE HEALD – Writing is my passion, contact me on steve_j_heald@hotmail.com and I will review your event.