The exhibit focuses on how ancient Afghanistan served as a crossroads of major trade routes including the Silk Road from China. As a result, it was a haven for diverse cultures with distinctive art styles, all influenced by the parade of artworks, craftsmanship and materials passing through. With such a global community for the time, the jewelry, sculpture and vessels featured elements of Greek, Near Eastern, Indian and Chinese design.
While Afghanistan includes architecture, sculpture, ivory carvings and an extraordinary assortment of hand-painted glass pieces, the room full of jewelry, headpieces, and other gold-infused fashions (pictured below) is the starting point of Gurhan’s special collection. All artifacts unearthed at the Tillya Tepe tomb, the various pieces, dating to the 1st century, incorporate stones like garnet, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and mother-of-pearl into popular shapes such as hearts, rosettes and bows.
When you see the ancient fashions, you know why the Met reached out to Gurhan. The Turkish designer’s trademark pendants, rings and bracelets feature the same sort of hammered gold and granulated edges as the artifacts. Accustomed to similar stones, Gurhan’s collection seems utterly organic – a natural extension of his repertoire and the ideal jewelry-maker for such a collaboration.
The Hidden Treasures Collection, available for sale at the Met Store, includes an array of turquoise pieces like the spectacular Gold Ornament Necklace (above) with droplet pearls. Oval-shaped stones, of lapis lazuli, carnelian, or garnet, are set in granulated gold frames and made into pendants, link bracelets, drop earrings and cocktail rings. Bangles, like those available in his namesake line, feature the same stones, which were also used by ancient craftsman. It’s as if looking at Gurhan’s collection, although in the store, it should actually be part of the exhibit itself.
The Gurhan Hidden Treasures Collection retails for $300-$24,000. It is available beginning June 23, 2009, when the Met’s Afghanistan exhibit opens to the public. Visit metmuseum.org.
