Terrane: 11 Jewellers Explore Landscape and Identity at Edinburgh's Ætla Gallery
The Ætla gallery will present 'Terrane', the inaugural exhibition curated by Kate Matthams, during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This showcase, featuring 11 jewellers who delve into themes of landscape, identity, and jewellery, will take place from 7 to 31 August 2026 at 17 St Stephen St, Edinburgh EH3 5AN. Matthams refers to the exhibition as "a kind of topography of memory." Among the participating artists are Alice Cicolini, Lola Fehirst, Castro Smith, Ruth Tomlinson, Ellis Mhairi Cameron, Sarah Madeleine Bru, Melanie Georgacopoulos, Emefa Cole, Nada Ghazal, and Inesa Kovalova. This marks Ætla gallery's first collaboration with an external curator, as Matthams seeks to narrate their stories in a unique way.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Terrane' runs from 7-31 August 2026 at Ætla gallery, 17 St Stephen St, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 5AN.
- Curated by writer Kate Matthams, her first exhibition and Ætla's first with an external curator.
- Features 11 jewellers: Inesa Kovalova, Alice Cicolini, Lola Fehirst, Castro Smith, Ruth Tomlinson, Ellis Mhairi Cameron, Sarah Madeleine Bru, Melanie Georgacopoulos, Emefa Cole, Nada Ghazal, and one unnamed.
- Themes: landscape, identity, and jewellery; materiality as 'topography of memory'.
- Alice Cicolini's cuffs are hand-carved ebony with jasper, landscape agate, and 18ct yellow gold, inspired by India since 1999.
- Lola Fehirst's ring references Kofar Mata dye pits in Kano, Nigeria; she is based in Paris.
- Castro Smith studied in Japan under Hiroshi Suzuki, Kenji Io, and Mamoru Nakagawa.
- Ruth Tomlinson's pieces feature sapphire clusters from Sri Lanka.
- Inesa Kovalova's work celebrates her Ukrainian Donbas roots.
- Exhibition coincides with Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
- Melanie Grant, author of 'Coveted: Art & Innovation in High Jewelry', wrote the article.
Entities
Artists
- Inesa Kovalova
- Alice Cicolini
- Lola Fehirst
- Castro Smith
- Ruth Tomlinson
- Ellis Mhairi Cameron
- Sarah Madeleine Bru
- Melanie Georgacopoulos
- Emefa Cole
- Nada Ghazal
- Kate Matthams
- Hiroshi Suzuki
- Kenji Io
- Mamoru Nakagawa
- Melanie Grant
Institutions
- Ætla gallery
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe
- Sotheby's
- TEFAF Maastricht
- Kensington Palace
Locations
- Edinburgh
- United Kingdom
- Tarbert
- Loch Lomond
- Arrochar Alps
- Oban
- Mull
- Western Highlands
- Glasgow
- Stockbridge
- India
- Paris
- France
- Kano
- Nigeria
- Japan
- Sri Lanka
- Beirut
- Lebanon
- Donbas
- Ukraine