Konfekt Magazine

5.
Home Truths / Natasha Wightman
Lost and found

Sussex-based artist Natasha Wightman is a champion of British craftsmanship in all its forms (writes Lucrezia Motta). Her fine-jewellery collections draw inspiration from the landscapes and wildlife around her home, celebrating their beauty and fragility. Here she tells Konfekt Kompakt about the favourite piece that she has made and her ongoing exhibition during Frieze London – a series of pendants, cuffs and earrings crafted from ancient British bogwood, which is set in a site-specific installation at Christie’s.

What has been your Frieze London highlight so far?

My most recent series of works, Lost Forests, is on exhibition for two weeks at Christie’s London during Frieze, so I’ve been surrounded by the most incredible works, including my personal highlights: two masterpieces by Hurvin Anderson and Peter Doig.

How would you describe your project with Christie’s?

My vision for Lost Forests was to create a narrative-driven, immersive work that unfolds across multiple formats, with each medium deepening and expanding the story from a different sensory angle. From the start, Christie’s recognised the importance of the message behind the works and understood that there was an opportunity to reach audiences through a mix of jewellery, sculpture, film, music and dance. It has been incredibly supportive, not just of the work itself but also of honouring and celebrating British skills and craftsmanship.

You are working with ancient bog wood. How does this material speak to you as an artist and designer?

I’m drawn to materials that have fascinating stories and with which I push boundaries – and bog wood is one of them. It’s a material that not only tells the story of our lost ecosystems but also reminds us of what remains and why we must honour and protect our natural heritage more than ever. It’s very challenging to work with and Graham Heeley, who is the master carver for Lost Forests, made tools specifically for the low- and high-relief carvings.

Beyond your vernissage, what does your Frieze week diary look like?

I’m very much looking forward to attending the charity auction for Architects for the Birds, a creative project in support of the Tessa Jowell Foundation, conceived by Norman Foster and Marie Donnelly. Nine of the world’s leading architects have created birdhouses, exploring our relationship with nature and the diversity of the human imagination.

Where will we find you recharging?

I’m in London for two weeks during the exhibition, which is rare for me. We are lucky to have so many beautiful parks in the city; seeing the autumn colours on my walks through them is something that grounds me.

What piece of jewellery from your collection that never leaves you?
A hand engraved 18-carat gold raven from my Honesty collection. I don’t wear a lot of jewellery but this is a piece that I never take off. It’s an ode to the ravens that I rewilded 10 years ago and that ignited my journey. I love the simplicity of the design. It reminds me of when I was in the company of these fascinating corvids.

What are you reading?

Merlin Hanbury-Tenison’s Our Oaken Bones. His book tells the journey of his efforts to restore an ancient rainforest on Bodmin Moor. This incredible forest has inspired so much of my work and will be the focus of my next series.

What unsung London spot are you enjoying in autumn?

Since I was 16, I have loved The Temple Gallery. It holds the most thought-provoking sacred art and is curated by the very welcoming and hugely knowledgeable Richard Temple.