UnEarthed
Ancient and Contemporary Jewelry by Terry Tan

SEE PICTURES FROM OUR OPENING

       The Galerie L’Indochine is pleased to present the jewelry designs of Terry Tan. Terry is a Burmese-American who, over a decade ago, switched careers, having been one of Burma’s leading popular singers. Although he had some experience as a gem dealer, he found that music enabled him to pursue his artistic calling. He calls it his ‘passion to create’, and when he decided to give music a rest in 1997 he returned to jewelry where he found a different, but no less exciting opportunity to create. Terry’s interests, however, extend far beyond just designing necklaces and broaches. His graduate work in both the US, Australia and at Rangoon University was in archeology, anthropology and paleontology, related fields which have given him unique insights into the ancient history of his own country, Burma (now called Myanmar). As a historian as well as an artist he combines his knowledge to create personal and culturally representative items.

       Over the years he has collected an extensive and impressive array of carnelian, agate, quartz, jadite and green chalcedony stones, many of them from prehistoric sites dating from civilizations which flourished during the Bronze-Iron Transition Period – circa 700 BC to 100 AD. There are many sites where such items are found, the most significant of these is the Samon River Valley in central Myanmar. These stones, ranging from oblong and spherical beads to more sophisticated carved figurines with delicate etchings, represent an important historical milestone in the development of Asian culture, and have parallels in the Western Zhou and Qin Dynasties of ancient China.

       The items which Terry Tan is showing at the Galerie L’Indochine range from contemporary designs which reflect his fascination with, and contribution to, Asian youth culture, to more traditional necklaces and bracelets. Many of these incorporate authentic ancient stones, and some are embellished with replicas of prehistoric gold ornaments which he and other archaeologists have unearthed throughout Myanmar. Many of these original artifacts are currently on display at the Myanmar National Museum in Rangoon.

       This is Terry Tan’s first exhibition in the United States and represents a unique, one of a kind, fusion of East and West, ancient and contemporary. The exhibition is open through June and July.

       Selected items will also be on display at the Asian Fusion Gallery, located in the Asian Cultural Center in Manhattan, where they will be shown along side art from Burma and Thailand. Details of this exhibition, titled ‘Tradition and Modernity in South East Asian Art’, are also available on this web site.