The Charmed Works of Seven Women Artists

What ever happened to charms? That’s the question that popped into art patron and Lizworks founder Liz Swig’s head when she came up with the concept for Charmed, a bracelet that fuses the work of seven women artists—Rachel Feinstein, Barbara Kruger, Wangechi Mutu, Shirin Neshat, Cindy Sherman, Laurie Simmons, and Mickalene Thomas—with the craft of fine jewelry brand Ippolita. It’s a testament to a bygone tradition that is typically distinct to women: receiving and collecting  an amulet on one’s wrist for every momentous occasion. What Swig discovered, though, is that the sentiment is actually very much of the moment. “I feel that we are in this crazy female time right now, whether it’s home, traveling, or how people see women in the workforce,” she says. The project, like a charm, acts as a marker that celebrates a contemporary moment in feminism, and from it dangles the strong voices and shared stories of its artists. “Each is delicate and powerful and they stand on their own perfectly, but they also are perfect together,” Swig says. Whether she’s speaking of the artists or the charms themselves is open to interpretation.

Charmed, a collaboration between Lizworks and Ippolita, price upon request, ippolita.com.