‘The time, care and detail that has gone into this project cannot be underestimated. Tarka seeks perfection, which I think she has achieved. It's been a joy to work with her on this and I feel the time and love she has put into her paper cut out mini stage to present these little treasures in, reflects her determination to achieve only the very best’
- Louisa Guinness
Created in collaboration with Louisa Guinness Gallery, well known for her exquisite draftsmanship and detailed drawings, Tarka Kings’ Unstrung Mandolin pendant is a meditation on the silence and stillness of her usually musical house in the first few months of lockdown.
Rendered in 18k gold, and artfully assembled, the heart of the instrument delicately spins, a whimsical detail that evokes the feeling of a music box. This project was provoked by a response to a Portrait exhibition at Chatsworth House where Kings chose to present her portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire in a small gold framed drawing, serving as a pendant. With the taste for jewellery whetted, she developed new ideas over the next 18 months of lockdown, working closely with the gallery and with design help from her friend, Susanne Kapoor. She presents the jewellery in tiny stage-like rooms, suspended on the wall, made of intricately cut paper designs and theatrical intrigue.