Mary Lee Hu
Choker (#38)1978
silver, gold, and copper
9 5/8 x 6 1/2 x 7/8 in.
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the James Renwick Alliance
Mary Lee Hu loops and twines silver and gold wire to create one-of-a-kind jewelry of extraordinary beauty. Her designs are symmetrical, precisely ordered, and delicate. Hu makes jewelry to be worn because she believes it is most alive when in contact with the human body. For inspiration for her designs she often goes directly to nature or searches through books on natural history. The choker evokes shell forms, plant growth, curling fronds, and featherlike fins.
