MAY Art Place: The Body of Jewels

The Body of Jewels

What impresses me in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is what we call nowadays “bling.” All different cultures around the world are creative in the way they adorn the body. My exhibit comes from different period of time from 1^st century to the 19^th century. During those centuries, different styles of jewelry were a creative way to beautify a human body. Different cultures in history such as Ancient Egypt, Africa, Rome, or American has its own styles of Jewels. The basic types of jewelry that every culture has are earrings, necklace, rings, and bracelets. Some jewelry fascinates me as well because not only are they made with metal, copper, or silver but Africans use animal bones as well. What is also beautiful about jewelry is the time and effort that was put in to make this type of work of art. The “bling” has a symbolic meaning that gives a person a better feeling on the outside because they feel enhanced. Human body sculptures also amazed me because not only did they make a body sculpture but it was made showing the specific male and female body parts. The creators in history chose to make the human body sculptures without clothes that give me an aesthetic emotion because of the relation that jewelries and human body has. Jewelry is a precious work of art that also provides connection to the human body because of how treasurable it is. This strikes me the most because a human body, male or female, should be respected as much as people have respect and care for a valuable object.