Vortex - ancient techniques paired with contemporary design

This finely crafted silver vessel is an example of the superb silver & metalwork, which is being created in contemporary Ireland, in this case by the jeweller and designer maker Eimear Conyard.

To make this vessel, Eimear formed two parts from sheet silver and soldered them together. She decorated the vessel using the ancient Korean technique of Keum-boo - fusing thin sheets of pure gold to the silver surface. The vessel appears to float - resting into blue leather on a transparent acrylic base. Twig-like patterns on this base are reflected on the polished silver surface of the vessel.

Vortex is part of a set of three sculptural vessels, also including Amphora and Aerie, which the Museum acquired in 2019. Eimear describes these three pieces as “the start of a new direction” for her work, moving from functional “time pieces” to larger, purely decorative objects. 

Vortex, Aerie and Amphora are located in the What’s in Store? exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History.