I DON’T SHINE, I have something to say | Venice Design Week 2025
As part of Venice Design Week, the third edition of I DON’T SHINE, I have something to say returned to Venice with an international exhibition dedicated to contemporary jewelry as a medium of expression, critique, and social commentary.
Held from 5 to 26 October 2025, the exhibition occupied the evocative Sala Wonder Q at the Querini Stampalia Foundation, presenting more than fifty artworks by international artists. The project was curated by me, Eleonora Varotto | HOOROON, in collaboration with Lisa Balasso, and promoted by the Cultural Association Arte Design Venezia.
This edition explored the deepest needs of human beings, approached as living, evolving matter mirrored in the structure of jewelry itself.
The works on display were not conceived as ornaments but as instruments capable of giving voice to urgent and universal concerns, from gender-based violence to mental health, from political corruption to the possibility of renewal after hardship.
The pieces did not simply shine; they challenged, provoked, and encouraged reflection. Through unconventional materials and experimental expressive forms, they transformed the body into a site for critical thought and symbolic action.
As I commented at the time: “The contemporary jewel does not ask to be admired for its beauty, but to be listened to for what it has to say. It is a device that, in sync with our body, speaks about our time”.
The exhibition also aimed to create a deeper connection between the public and contemporary jewelry, demonstrating its capacity to convey powerful, universal messages.
Visitors encountered radical artworks that transformed the wearer into a space for critical reflection and symbolic protest.
Awards & Special Recognitions
As part of my ongoing commitment to supporting and promoting contemporary jewelry, several artists from the exhibition received prestigious awards from international partners and institutions.
We are proud to highlight their achievements:
• Revista Atelierul – The Iconic Ones
Awarded to: Sheila Westera and Laura Di Leo
• Roma Jewelry Week Award
Awarded to: Sheila Westera
• Lost in Jewelry Magazine Award
Awarded to: Sheila Westera
• Brussels Jewellery Week Award
Awarded to: Julian Graeve
• AdOC Asociación Award
Awarded to: Hennie Broers
Congratulations to all the artists!
