Application of Memory-Based Design as a Methodology in Art Jewellery Design

Art jewellery focuses on storytelling and elicits reactions from the wearer and viewers. It draws on the memories of the maker to spell out narratives for the wearer. In art jewellery, the idea of the piece and the message it conveys, take prominence over the wearability. It is jewellery that functions as contemporary art. While art jewellery design is taught in India through material and form exploration, the adoption of specific design methodologies remains underexplored. This paper introduces Memory-Based Design as an innovative methodology for art jewellery design. With an emphasis on the interplay between individual memory, narratives, and design, the methodology allows the makers to examine their own lives for inspiration. Products emerging out of such a process evoke emotions, are one of a kind, and represent the individuality of the maker. This paper proposes an instructional model delineating the steps of the Memory-Based Design methodology, empowering learners to identify intangible emotions and translate them into tangible components of design. Drawing from autoethnography, this design methodology acts as a transformative approach to learning and making art jewellery. By highlighting the role of memories in creating meaningful connections between people, narratives, and products, it contributes to the evolving discourse on jewellery education in India.