Emmy van Leersum

(the Netherlands, 1930-1984)

bracelet, 1969

aluminium
7,5 x 7,5 cm
inventory number KNB 394

By folding Emmy van Leersum would change the shape of a standard size aluminium tube. In the catalogue of her solo exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam (1979), she wrote: “At the same time I was interested in certain actions such as ‘folding’, so I applied these to the tube. This brought about an entire transformation of the tube, making further decorative additions superfluous.” She worked on the basis of rational and systematic principles, applying vertical and diagonal lines in the tube, as well as circles, half circles, triangles and squares. As a result of these interventions the tube became conical in shape and therefore more appropriate as a bracelet.