The private collections on display will emphasize the visionary side of his creations. One hundred and thirty pieces were shown, including Aléna Caillois’ wonderful necklace. The retrospective also featured pieces from public collections at institutions including the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as well as the sword of the academician Roger Caillois, on special loan from the Musée des Confluences in Lyon. The exhibition showcased a wide range of his pieces.
Jean Vendome’s prolific creations resonate like a poetic and meaningful echo of the major artistic movements of the second half of the 20th century. From kinetic pop art to the dream of the Apollo 13 space mission, his jewelry pieces evolved into Constellations, Aurore Boréale and Espace during the 1970s. The geometric shapes of the skyscrapers in Les Tours betray his passion for urban architecture and the race upwards. The 1980s were the years of “imaginary walks”, where he played on the mimetic analogy of agates, fragments of eternity, and matte and polished gold jewels with “phantom” quartz, rutilated quartz and dendritic agate. The 1990s are marked by the use of ever stronger colors, which Jean Vendome called his “vagrant” or “wild” colors. It was a time of escapism and dreaming. A sculptor in search of fascinating inclusions, radiance, materials and colors, Jean Vendome, alchemist and jeweler, will never cease to amaze you.