Future Past
Jo Sabavala
Jo Sabavala is a New York based jewelry designer and maker with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jewelry Design from Pratt Institute. Her handcrafted pieces are designed and fabricated with a keen attention to detail. Her most recent work draws from nature and connects it to her personal journey and her upbringing as an adopted child in Mumbai, India.
Jo’s work has been exhibited on CritiART as part of the Platinum Design DNA Awards presented by Platinum Guild International (PGI) and Pratt Institute in 2021, in which she was awarded the second prize; and in Pratt Institute’s Library Adorned cuff show in 2018. Her work has also been featured on the Society of North American Goldsmiths’ (SNAG) Instagram page as part of Future 50 in 2020.
Jo’s work has been exhibited on CritiART as part of the Platinum Design DNA Awards presented by Platinum Guild International (PGI) and Pratt Institute in 2021, in which she was awarded the second prize; and in Pratt Institute’s Library Adorned cuff show in 2018. Her work has also been featured on the Society of North American Goldsmiths’ (SNAG) Instagram page as part of Future 50 in 2020.
Artist Statement
Employing both cast and hand fabricated elements, this silver collection links the different stages of development in my life to the growth of a plant, and traces my personal journey from the past to the present.
The designs based on the past have been inspired by a poem titled Your Legacy (anonymous) and from photographs which capture my pre-adoption period. In these works, I explore the emotions surrounding my adoption through visual elements that draw from nature. I have incorporated the poem into a few of the pieces by casting handwritten versions into resin and using them as gemstones.
The designs based on the present, on the other hand, have taken inspiration from my Parsi background, specifically from the Ses, a set of ritual objects and symbolic items used during ceremonies. Whilst continuing to draw from the natural world, I have put a contemporary spin on these works which highlights their significance in my own life.
Through this collection, I hope to trace a cultural and emotional evolution; a journey from roots to budding and blossoming.
The designs based on the past have been inspired by a poem titled Your Legacy (anonymous) and from photographs which capture my pre-adoption period. In these works, I explore the emotions surrounding my adoption through visual elements that draw from nature. I have incorporated the poem into a few of the pieces by casting handwritten versions into resin and using them as gemstones.
The designs based on the present, on the other hand, have taken inspiration from my Parsi background, specifically from the Ses, a set of ritual objects and symbolic items used during ceremonies. Whilst continuing to draw from the natural world, I have put a contemporary spin on these works which highlights their significance in my own life.
Through this collection, I hope to trace a cultural and emotional evolution; a journey from roots to budding and blossoming.
Future Past