Daria Svirel Living Jewellery

Daria Svirel at AUTOR 2026: Jewellery that Comes Alive Through Movement, Light and Sound

From 15 to 17 May 2026, the National Museum of Romanian History in Bucharest hosted AUTOR 2026, the 23rd edition of one of Europe’s leading international fairs dedicated to contemporary jewellery. This year’s event brought together 70 artists from more than 20 countries, showcasing the diversity, innovation and vitality of contemporary jewellery practice today.

Latvia was represented at AUTOR 2026 by Valdis Brože, Diāna Tamane, and Daria Svirel. Alongside Brože’s receipt of the prestigious AUTOR AWESOME Award, the participation of all three artists highlighted the strength and growing international visibility of contemporary jewellery from Latvia. At the fair, Daria Svirel presented her series “Living Jewellery – Elements”, introducing international audiences to a body of work that explores movement, light, sound and human interaction.

The works do not simply hang on the body—they move, whisper, and interact with light in their own unique way. Sometimes they seem obedient, at other times resistant, yet they truly come alive only when they encounter a wearer. The jewellery reveals itself through movement: light travels through translucent surfaces, delicate elements respond to motion, and even the slightest touch can produce a subtle sound. The project focuses on moments of experience and the small, unexpected discoveries that occur when jewellery becomes part of the body.

In her practice, Daria Svirel works slowly and intuitively, maintaining an ongoing dialogue with her materials—enamel, metal, wood and bone. Reinterpreting the stained-glass technique of hot enamel in a contemporary context, she has developed her own distinctive method. Each enamel element is held within a fine wire framework balanced on the edge of fragility, creating a sense of lightness while allowing light to pass freely through the structure. Traditional techniques are transformed into jewellery that feels alive, dynamic and genuinely wearable.

The series Living Jewellery – Elements reflects Svirel’s understanding of jewellery as an experience rather than a static object. Each piece becomes meaningful through interaction: when it is seen, touched, heard and worn, it enters the life of its wearer. In this way, the jewellery’s significance emerges not only from its form, but from the relationship it creates with the human body and senses.

Daria Svirel’s participation in AUTOR 2026 demonstrates her active presence within the international contemporary jewellery community and contributes to the growing recognition of Latvian jewellery artists on one of Europe’s most important platforms for contemporary jewellery.