Peter Hoogeboom (b. 1961) studied at Amsterdam's Gerrit Rietveld Academy and graduated in jewellery in 1992 with the theme 'healing/curing'. In his subsequent work he concentrated on the theme of death. He produced and 'aureole field' in which a ritual is enacted: every time the heart of one of the 365 aureoles bursts into flame the slate disc, with gold leaf on one side is turned over life turning into death. The aureole field is an imposing mural work measuring two by two metres.

Later work includes mourners' chains, sometimes in a series of four with each chain representing a season. By attaching them with fastenings, the annual cycle is completed. The boats in his 'silk route' necklaces contain balls of silk thread: a reference to the journey of time and the transience of life. The silver ship, which can be worn as a pendant, scatters poppy seed on and around the wearer... Fertility symbols, unfolding petals and budding seeds are often found in Peter's jewellery.

In little cages he catches washed up stones -polished by water- and links them in a chain. The lock is a demarkation of the beginning and the end. After his 'healing heart', which he made at the Academy, he started producing wire constructions in the shape of a cross, an urn or a man, each harbouring a particular power in their core.                                                                                                          Paul Derrez, February 1994