In a humorous act of self-aggrandisement, the jeweller uses Cook & Co to transform herself from solitary artist to fashion institution. Her jewellery however, is far from elitist. Rather, it exhibits an overarching degree of democracy.  In a show of ‘mutual appreciation,’ the founder of Cook & Co makes a (literal) cameo appearance. With her characteristic ponytailed silhouette, the artist’s profile adorns the breast of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and The Queen’s adorns hers.

Exhibition Dates: 22 November – 15 December 2007

“I see myself as a jeweller because all my work is jewellery or relates to ideas about jewellery.  I’m interested in the perception of value—both monetary and sentimental—and how interchanging the real with the fake and the precious with the inconsequential can alter that.”

—Octavia Cook, 2007

In 2002 Octavia launched the fabricated company ‘Cook & Co,’ appropriating the name of one of the world’s largest jewellery houses; ‘I wanted to play on the idea of ‘Tiffany & Co’ being an ultraluxe multinational, as Cook is such an unglamorous name.’  Part homage to the tradition of jewellery marketing, the company is also ‘…a response to the eponymous jewellery lines of fashion designers untrained in jewellery.’   

In a humorous act of self-aggrandisement, the jeweller uses Cook & Co to transform herself from solitary artist to fashion institution. Her jewellery however, is far from elitist. Rather, it exhibits an overarching degree of democracy.  In a show of ‘mutual appreciation,’ the founder of Cook & Co makes a (literal) cameo appearance. With her characteristic ponytailed silhouette, the artist’s profile adorns the breast of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and The Queen’s adorns hers, suggesting their parity (other cameo face-offs include The Maharani, ‘discoverer of New Zealand,’ Captain James Cook and various female monarchs).

Full of autobiographical references stemming from childhood rummages through her grandmother’s jewellery box, Cook uses the cameo to explore the possibilities associated with commemorative portraiture. While conveying little information about the subject, immortalisation in cameo format confirms the significance of the sitter. Playfully rendered large-scale in brightly coloured acrylics, sentimental symbolism is eschewed by her selection of benign subjects including herself, her family, even her cats.  Her choice of media catches us off guard too.  She sets laminated colour photocopies in sterling silver and her cameos and ‘pure gold’ chains are acrylic.  Mixing the intimate with the official, her disingenuous jewellery challenges conventional notions of value, offering a contemporary, conceptualised take on the traditions of costume jewellery.

—Serena Bentley

Octavia Cook (b.1978) graduated from Unitec, Auckland, with a Bachelor of Design in Jewellery in 1999. Since then she has exhibited widely across art, craft and design contexts.  Her work has been selected for curated exhibitions at public galleries including Objectspace in Auckland, Wellington City Art Gallery and artist run spaces including Rm. 401.  She has also produced jewellery collections for New Zealand fashion designers, Natalija Kucija and Nicholas Blanchet.   In 2005 she was the recipient of a Creative New Zealand grant for new work that allowed her to develop the first Cook & Co monographic publication; ‘Cook & Co: The Family Jewels.’   In 2007 she was Highly Commended at the National Jewellery Awards, Wellington. Her work is represented in the collections of Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, Auckland War Memorial Museum and the Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt.  Venerable Heirlooms from the Cook & Co Coffers will be Octavia’s first solo exhibition at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, it will also be her first solo exhibition in Australia.

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Octavia Cook Her Imperial Highness Significant Jewelled Necklace, 2007; acrylic and 18ct gold; enquire
Her Imperial Highness Significant Jewelled Necklace, 2007
acrylic and 18ct gold
Octavia Cook Her Majesty Ceremonial Octopi Chain with Trophy Pendant, 2007; cast brass, stg silver, 18ct gold plate; enquire
Her Majesty Ceremonial Octopi Chain with Trophy Pendant, 2007
cast brass, stg silver, 18ct gold plate
Octavia Cook Pearl Choker, 2007; laminated colour photocopy, stg silver; enquire
Pearl Choker, 2007
laminated colour photocopy, stg silver
Octavia Cook Pure Gold Acrylic Chain, 2006; acrylic and 18ct gold; enquire
Pure Gold Acrylic Chain, 2006
acrylic and 18ct gold
Octavia Cook Mutual Appreciation Brooch: OC wearing QEII, 2007; acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold; enquire
Mutual Appreciation Brooch: OC wearing QEII, 2007
acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold
Octavia Cook Mutual Appreciation Brooch: QEII wearing OC, 2007; acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold; enquire
Mutual Appreciation Brooch: QEII wearing OC, 2007
acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold
Octavia Cook Captain O Cook Brooch, 2007; acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold; Edition of 5; enquire
Captain O Cook Brooch, 2007
acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold
Edition of 5
Octavia Cook Her Imperial Highness Brooch, 2007; acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold; Edition of 5; enquire
Her Imperial Highness Brooch, 2007
acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold
Edition of 5
Octavia Cook Her Majesty Brooch, 2007; acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold; Edition of 5; enquire
Her Majesty Brooch, 2007
acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold
Edition of 5
Octavia Cook The Maharani Brooch, 2007; acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold; Edition of 5; enquire
The Maharani Brooch, 2007
acrylic, stg silver, 18ct gold
Edition of 5
Octavia Cook Baroque Pearl and Bow Brooch, 2007; laminated colour photocopy, stg silver; Edition of 5; enquire
Baroque Pearl and Bow Brooch, 2007
laminated colour photocopy, stg silver
Edition of 5
Octavia Cook Orchid Brooch, 2007; laminated colour photocopy, stg silver; Edition of 5; enquire
Orchid Brooch, 2007
laminated colour photocopy, stg silver
Edition of 5
Octavia Cook Emerald Solitaire Brooch, 2007; laminated colour photocopy, stg silver; Edition of 5; enquire
Emerald Solitaire Brooch, 2007
laminated colour photocopy, stg silver
Edition of 5
Octavia Cook Cook & Co Hallmark Mirror, 2007; sandblasted mirror, wood; enquire
Cook & Co Hallmark Mirror, 2007
sandblasted mirror, wood
Octavia Cook The Bonnie Princess, 2007; sandblasted mirror, wood; enquire
The Bonnie Princess, 2007
sandblasted mirror, wood
Octavia Cook Captain O Cook, 2007; sandblasted mirror, wood; enquire
Captain O Cook, 2007
sandblasted mirror, wood
Octavia Cook Her Imperial Highness, 2007; sandblasted mirror, wood; enquire
Her Imperial Highness, 2007
sandblasted mirror, wood
Octavia Cook Her Majesty, 2007; sandblasted mirror, wood; enquire
Her Majesty, 2007
sandblasted mirror, wood
Octavia Cook The Maharani, 2007; sandblasted mirror, wood; enquire
The Maharani, 2007
sandblasted mirror, wood
Octavia Cook The Tsarina, 2007; sandblasted mirror, wood; enquire
The Tsarina, 2007
sandblasted mirror, wood