FRAGILITY
Jeannette Knigge
Netherlands

Within the theme of Performing Identity, I have created various body-related objects; each object highlights a different part of our daily performance.
Fragility is often perceived as weakness, yet in my work it becomes a space of tension and possibility. I explore the fragile boundaries between body and identity, between what is given and what is chosen. Fragility emerges in the way identity is performed, always adapting, always vulnerable to the gaze and expectations of others. It is present in the contradictions we embody: the desire to belong and the need to remain true to ourselves.
Through body-related objects, I highlight how easily perceptions of beauty, strength, or authenticity can shift. Fragility here is not something to conceal but to acknowledge, it reveals the fractures that shape us. In its delicacy lies resilience, as each fragment of identity contributes to an evolving whole. My pieces invite reflection on how fragility defines our human condition; tender, unstable, and yet profoundly vital.

Nose-piece « Nose Hair », 2024
30mmx15mmx13mm mm / 8 gr
18 k gold
smithing, soldering
Photo : Femke Teussink

More « FRAGILITY »

Fragility – Juan Riusech / Spain

FRAGILITYJuan RiusechSpainAnd if the most fragile thing was our society ? What could happen if we go back to the dark Mid Age ? Brooch “Medieval II”, 2024100 x 150 x 7 mm / 36 grPLA, steelHand 3D printed, constructedMore "FRAGILITY"

Fragility – Katerina Jirsova / Czech Republic

FRAGILITYKaterina JirsovaCzech RepublicThese necklaces continue my ongoing exploration of the dialogue between the body, the object, and the space we inhabit. Crafted from white chalk, they carry the qualities of softness, fragility, and impermanence – a material that...

Fragility – Gloria Tormo / Spain

FRAGILITYGloria TormoSpainThere is not one fragility, but countless ones. Emotional fragility, health fragility, knowledge fragility, integrity fragility, etc. Suddenly, one day, we discover that everything we believe to be strong and stable crumbles or disappears,...

Fragility – Ani Flys / Spain

FRAGILITYAni FlysSpainThe "Whirlwinds" series traces fragility as both a material and a state of mind. Using broken eggshells, the work explores how what is delicate and easily fractured can, when gathered, form unexpected strength and coherence. Each fragment, once...

Fragility – Yuqi Fan / USA

FRAGILITYYuqi FanUnited StatesTo me, “Fragility” emerges in the dynamics of attachment, the way we rely on objects to express ourselves, cherish lost ones, and soothe insecurities. Through jewelry and wearable objects, I explore how these attachments reveal the...

Fragility – Denis Music / Ukraine

FRAGILITYDenis MusicUkraineFragility is a state of tension — between strength and collapse, between freedom and threat, between life and its disappearance. My brooch Black Cloud was inspired by the installation of Ukrainian artist Oleksiy Sai, which rose above the...

Fragility – Yifan Peng / Belgium

FRAGILITYYifan PengBelgiumThis series is inspired by the structure of cicada wings and focuses on the contrast between fragility and strength. I am interested in how light, material, and form can reveal both stability and vulnerability at the same time. I use smoke to...

Fragility – Victoria Kurasheva / Norway

FRAGILITYVictoria KurashevaNorway This piece reflects the fragility of infancy and the silent fear of motherhood. A transparent infant, cast in glass-like acrylic and filled halfway with blood, connected to the woman’s hand by an invisible bond. The blood is not the...

Fragility – Sébastien Carré / France

FRAGILITYSébastien CarréFranceFragility of… The Cycle of Water From the melting of the poles, to changing the power of the gulfstream We are already starting to feel the impact of global warming with an increased power and frequency of rain and snowstorms.While...

Fragility – Ute van der Plaats / Belgium

FRAGILITYUte van der PlaatsBelgiumMy mother was born as a Berglanddeutsche, a German-speaking minority living in the Banat, a region that belongs to Romania since the end of the First World War. In 1944 the family fled from the Russian invasion to Germany. I never got...