Fusion of Cultures & Generations in Jewelry
Alyssa Wakim
Antwerp
About
Master’s student in Visual Arts with a strong interest in jewelry, heritage, identity, and the relationship between traditional craftsmanship and new technologies. Growing up with both Belgian and Lebanese roots, she is inspired by the stories, memories, and objects that connect different generations and cultures.
Her current work explores how family jewelry can be transformed into contemporary wearable pieces while preserving its emotional and historical value. By combining artificial intelligence, digital design tools, 3D production techniques, and traditional making processes, she creates jewelry that brings together the past and the present.
Through her practice, Alyssa investigates themes of belonging, cultural identity, family history, and the way objects can carry memories across generations. Her work aims to create new forms that honour heritage while giving it a place within a modern context.
Project
Fusion of Cultures & Generations in Jewelry is a contemporary jewelry project that explores identity, heritage, and the connection between generations. The project is inspired by my own family history and the jewelry that has been passed down through five to six generations on both my Belgian and Lebanese sides of the family.
The project began with an investigation of these heirlooms, their stories, and their cultural significance. For each generation, I selected two jewelry pieces: one Belgian and one Lebanese. Using artificial intelligence, these pieces were merged into new sculptural forms. Rather than creating direct copies of the original jewelry, the AI-generated forms became a starting point for developing new contemporary designs.
The final collection consists of cuff bracelets that translate elements from family heirlooms into modern wearable objects. Each bracelet represents a generation and combines influences from both cultures. Individually, the bracelets function as separate pieces, while together they form a larger narrative about family, memory, and belonging.
The making process combines digital innovation with traditional craftsmanship. AI-generated forms were developed into 3D models, explored through digital production methods, and further refined through mould making, casting, hand-finishing, and silver plating. Throughout this process, I discovered both the possibilities and the limitations of new technologies, leading to an ongoing dialogue between artificial intelligence and the hand of the maker.
By bringing together family history, cultural identity, craftsmanship, and technology, the project creates a bridge between past and present. The collection does not only preserve memories from previous generations, but also transforms them into contemporary jewelry that can be carried into the future.
