Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025: JB Blunk rings are sculptures for the hand

A master of raw forms, the late JB Blunk sculpted primarily in wood and ceramic for works that took their cue from salvaged natural materials.

It was an organic philosophy that extended to the jewellery that Blunk enjoyed creating for his family and friends. Wearable sculptures in their own right, the miniature pieces were also a way for Blunk to work on a small scale, exploring keyhole silhouettes or uneven circles, which were then translated into his larger pieces.

Now the JB Blunk Estate – which also runs the Blunk Space exhibition programme – has paid tribute to this heritage, for the first time issuing reproductions of four special rings, in collaboration with LA-based jewellery designer J Hannah. Each ring is produced in a limited edition of 50 in silver and recycled 18ct gold. Three are reinterpretations of gifts that Blunk created for his partner Christine Nielson, including Continuum, crafted from a single piece of ivory for Valentine’s Day 1975. Presence was a gift for Nielsen in 1980, its form reminiscent of his 1977 work, Entry Arch (Presence), while Muse was a Christmas gift in 1974, a piece Nielsen wore as her wedding ring.

Also rethought is the ring Blunk made for daughter Mariah in 1988 when she was 11 years old, with Crown cutting a symmetric shape, a refined foil for Blunk’s usual rawness.

Shop the rings at blunkshop.com

The February 2025 issue of Wallpaper* is available in print on newsstands from 9 January 2025, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today