I was a bit stumped for words when I first spotted the silver and resin jewellery of Moshiko Boshe (aka MoshikoArt). “Bright” and “colourful” didn’t quite do it justice.

 

moshiko - bunny necklace

moshiko – bunny necklace

 

Based in Tel Aviv, Moshiko’s work is kind of a wild hybrid between organic and hi-tech, ancient and futuristic. He sits archaic symbols from long-forgotten cultures alongside modern interpretations of Henri Matisse and Keith Haring, and includes references to jellyfish, strawberries and the X-files equally, without batting an eyelid.

 

moshiko - matisse ring

moshiko – matisse ring

 

moshiko - celestial lagoon bracelet

moshiko – celestial lagoon bracelet

He first came to work with metals about 25 years ago, after a visit to Nepal. There he was fortunate enough to visit the workshop of the royal jewellers and was captivated, watching them heating and fusing metal just with lung power and a simple oil burner. He returned to Israel, teaching himself the skills before ending up working in high-end jewellery workshops as in-house designer and prototype maker for several years. During this time he also studied glass blowing with master glass blower Rika, and trained in traditional North African jewellery crafting.

 

moshiko - raindrops earrings

moshiko – raindrops earrings

 

moshiko - omega bracelet

moshiko – omega bracelet

 

He loves working with resin too, relishing its organic and fluid possibilities. He says of the process, “Working with resin is like riding a dragon.” Using a variety of techniques to suit each piece, some surfaces are handpainted, others are embedded with photographs or gold leaf.

 

moshiko - talking heads ring

moshiko – talking heads ring

 

moshiko - spherical maze ring

moshiko – spherical maze ring

 

Moshiko has participated in numerous exhibitions, his work has appeared in several publications by Lark Books., and he runs his own gallery featuring jewellery and sculpture in Tel Aviv.

You can find more of his work in his Etsy shop MoshikoArt, and on his own website www.moshikoart.com.