Lital Mendel - another promise from Shenkar
I’m happy to present to you today Lital Mendel, also a sophomore at the Shenkar College of engineering and design. Getting involved in jewelry design was not random to her but not obvious too and it happened following her re-acquaintance with an old friend who was studying at the Betzalel academy of arts at the time. Lital, who was studying for her BA at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was then exposed to ‘professional’ designing and understood that she could seriously and professionally do something she used to consider a hobby. The road to jewelry design from there was obvious according to her: “Jewelry to me are something very personal with a deep emotional connection to the wearer, weather they were given as a gift, inherited or purchased.” The connection between the jewelry and the body and the way they affect each other, combine and change also intrigues her.
Lital’s designs which drew my attention at the Jovella exhibition (some of which you can see here) were part of a project with the Aviram Toledo company. The concept Lital dealt with was childhood memories and secrets and she set out to design “jewelry that have a secret only the wearer knows.” The idea was to give a twist to known objects that will demand a second look. Lital chose to use the clover that usually symbolizes luck and for her is related with childhood, innocence and wishes. She created the dog tag, a well known object, but with an unusual setting. She further created a ring with a revolving top showing clovers in different colors and a Bombay ring that appears simple on the outside, but made of embossments and engravings on the inside. You can also see here Lital’s creations from a bridal jewelry project with the Swarovsky company and here unusual perspective of heart jewelry in these too charming necklaces.
