In 1966, at the XXXIII Venice Biennale, Soto shrouded the walls of the Venezuelan pavilion in a suspended curtain of fine wire rods. Two years later, Soto’s earring design used a similar curtain of tightly packed suspended metal rods. Both works chart the artist’s progression towards his iconic, immersive 'Penetrable’ sculptures composed of suspended wires. The ultimate exploration of movement, displacement and instability, the viewer is required to walk through the vine-like sculpture. The earrings are made in both yellow and white gold, having been originally made in silver with one half dipped in gold plate and the other left in a silver finish. They are the mirror of each other, with the clip also being represented in alternate metal finishes.
Similarly, Soto’s brooch/pendant and rings design in 1968 used thin metallic lines silkscreened onto aluminium or gold to give an impression of movement. The striation of the metal tricks the eye: the background is illusive, at once plain, textured and monochrome. When on the neck, or pinned to the shoulder the effect of the brooch is twofold. Cleverly designed with its purpose in mind, the work’s illusion is bought to life by the movement of the wearer. Both 1968 jewellery designs were realised by GianCarlo Montebello, GEM Montebello in Milan.