Journal One: When the dust had settled
In Summer 2024, I co-organised an exhibition inside Hackney’s 13th-century St. Augustine’s Tower, alongside two dear friends and fellow artists Michaela Barochova and Maria Stella Lydaki. The show, titled When the dust had settled, was a tribute to the clock tower itself, which we came to recognise as our collaborator. Restrained yet guided by its Grade-I-listed constraints, the process of putting this exhibition together felt like a dance. We moved intuitively, allowing the work to respond to the space, staying in harmony with the gentle swinging of the pendulum and ticking of the clock. For me, this exhibition marked a pivotal moment – one that deepened my understanding of site and narrative within my practice, and the dialogue between the old and the new, past and preset.
When the dust had settled was a personal milestone, which reshaped the creative direction for my practice and left me inspired for what lies ahead.
I am delighted to share a video by Louis Thornton beautifully capturing the essence of the show—especially for those who were unable to attend in person or manage the 135-step climb.
Connected by a narrow spiral staircase, each of the tower’s three levels represented a phase: past, present, future — with each of us responding to one. I exhibited my work on the 'past' level, reflecting on personal transformation and renewal through pieces spanning a decade of making - from early Fine Art work to my current jewellery practice.
The Past
In the Pendulum Room, I presented early artworks from my Fine Art degree (Central Saint Martins, 2012–2015) alongside jewellery pieces that stemmed from the same urge: to make sense of experience through making. After my degree, my focus shifted to jewellery, so these older pieces had been unseen for years – born during a difficult chapter marked by health struggles — now resurfacing in dialogue with jewellery work shaped by healing. It felt like a retrospective and reconciliation, a coming full circle. Both for me and the visitors, my showcase was an invitation to confront the past and move forward.
Point of Transformation & Energy Patterns
Intuitively, I pinned my Point of Transformation rings onto fabric I’d hung over the information boards in the room, using dressmaking pins — a practical choice that soon revealed its deeper symbolism. The pins reminded me of the stitching and mending present in my Fine Art work, bridging two worlds: the artist I was and the jeweller I’ve become.
In a similar way, I instinctively referenced the swinging pendulum of the clock in my display of the Energy Patterns rings. Suspended on fishing line, they gently swayed, mirroring the pendulum.
Tempus Fugit
During my visits to St. Augustine Tower in preparation for the show, I found a number of dead moths by the windows. Moved by their presence, I chose to commemorate their lives by electroforming them in copper, creating a kind of protective armour around their delicate bodies. Their hands seemed to reach out as if yearning for something to hold, so I placed stones in their grasp—gifts, perhaps, for the companions they sought.
I places them back on top of the harsh stone, where I found them.
The reflections on time and eternity that I’m exploring in this ongoing project, titled Tempus Fugit, draw me back to the words of Polish author Olga Tokarczuk:
Bóg widzi – God is watching
Czas ucieka – Time is slipping away
Śmierć goni – Death is approaching
Wieczność czeka – Eternity awaits
Reckoning
Reckoning was born from the emotional task of clearing my grandfather’s house in Poland. Much like the act of purging physical space, I channelled this experience into the making of my new jewellery collection in an attempt to reconcile with the past. The series explores the connection between memory and place and the relationships we weave with spaces.
What began as a personal experience of tracing my own roots, childhood memories and looking for a sense of belonging, evolved into something broader—a tribute to the stories that shape us all. The pieces take the form of fragmented book pages, embodying the layers of hidden or forgotten stories passed down through generations. They are artefacts of heritage, echoing the wisdom of the past and the intimacy of shared human experiences. This collection is also an homage to the quiet power of libraries, bookstores, and home bookshelves– where stories, like jewellery, become vessels of memory and meaning.
Rebirth
The theme of renewal continued in my Rebirth collection, where broken pearls were crushed and reimagined into new forms — finding strength in fragility, mirroring how personal struggles, pain, and loss become the crucible for wisdom and self-discovery. The Rebirth Silver Necklace, my latest addition to the collection, was created especially for this exhibition.
Electroforming
In Expectations project, I explore humanity’s search for meaning through belief systems — religion, ritual, mysticism. I created this neckpiece from tree branches and rosary beads (Christian prayer beads). While it may resemble a crown of thorns at first glance, it’s actually a two-part neckpiece that comes together with strong magnets.
As with Tempus Fugit moths, I used the electroforming technique to deposit copper onto the piece, a process that involves transferring metal onto objects using electricity in a solution of copper sulphate and sulfuric acid. I look forward to sharing more on this technique in one of the next journal entries.
Ultimately, the exhibition was an exercise in trust—trusting that creativity, like life, unfolds effortlessly when we surrender to the process and follow the path of least resistance.
Tower Collective
Following the exhibition, the three of us formed Tower Collective. We are committed to creating immersive jewellery and art exhibitions that offer moments of peace while bridging past and present, all set within overlooked and historic spaces. Our next exhibition will take place this June in another special East London location – sign up to my mailing list below to receive an invitation very soon!
Can you help us find future venues?
We’re dreaming up future exhibitions in other unique spaces — somewhere with soul and story. Do you know of any hidden or underutilised venues in London, elsewhere in the UK, or abroad?
Please email your suggestions to karolina.brodnicka@gmail.com.
Pictures by Sveety K and Aaron Gove. Video by Louis Thornton.