On view until October 5, 2025, Artists’ Jewelry: From Cubism to Pop – The Diane Venet Collection offers a rare glimpse into the personal, wearable creations of some of modern and contemporary art’s most iconic figures, bringing together more than 150 pieces from the collection of Paris-born curator Diane Venet, who spent decades coaxing miniature masterpieces out of friends like Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, and Robert Rauschenberg.

“Jewelry has always been about expression,” says Venet. “But in these pieces, the personal becomes universal.” From rings and brooches to headpieces and necklaces, each piece carries the fingerprint of its maker and the story of a creative friendship.

Photography by Carrie Bradburn

Works by Yayoi Kusama, Salvador Dali, Man Ray, Pablo Picasso, Kiki Smith, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Rashid Johnson adorn the gallery alongside 60 companion pieces from the Norton’s permanent collection. Standouts include a gold “driving mask” by Man Ray, a vinyl-record-inspired ring by Yoko Ono engraved with “Imagine Peace,” and surreal enamel necklaces by Meret Oppenheim.

To further the experience, a custom sound installation from Italian artist and composer Sheila Concari, offering an immersive audio backdrop as visitors move through the space.

It is a rare opportunity to witness the monumental in the miniature, where the act of adornment is transformed into a radical extension of the artist’s hand—and where even the most iconic figures of modern and contemporary art found new voices through pieces meant to be worn against the skin.

Courtesy of The Norton Museum of Art