Piece by Piece: Suzi Zutic's 'Golden Apparition #2' Ring from her 'Saints' Series
Piece by Piece is an ongoing journal series dedicated to examining individual works of jewellery, with attention to material, form and intention. Each feature draws focus to a single piece or small group of works, offering insight into the ideas, processes and decisions that shape them.
In this edition, we spoke to Suzi Zutic to discuss her Golden Apparition #2 Ring and related works from her series, The Saint. Together, we explored the ideas behind the work, her approach to making, and the details that give this piece its particular presence and meaning.
PO8: Suzi, your Golden Apparition #2 Ring is a staff favourite in the gallery. Can you tell us about the initial idea behind this piece or the series you created it for? What drew you to explore this form or motif?
SZ: I grew up Catholic. What with an Italian mother, and attending a catholic school, I was surrounded by a lot of ceremony and ideology at a young age. While I don’t personally ascribe to any particular faith, my fascination and curiosity with the stories and belief systems stayed with me, and I find myself coming back to it from time to time.
The Golden Apparition Ring stemmed from a series of pieces I made called ‘Superstitions Apparitions’. I’d been reading a book at the time, ‘Mysteries, Marvels & Miracles: In the Lives of the Saints, which is a beautiful and somewhat magical take on sainthood. It was the first ring in the series that I made in gold, and it embodies the ideas I explored in that collection, where faith, folklore, mysticism and imagination blur.
PO8: How did material and process influence the final outcome of this work? Were there any decisions or moments in the making that shaped the piece in unexpected ways?
SZ: Early in my practice, I began experimenting with soft wax. I enjoyed the sculptural qualities of it, the way it could hold an impression or image without fully fixing it. It offered a way to articulate the idea of the apparition, something unstable, atmospheric, and transient. And so, the imagery in this early collection emerged unpredictably through the making process. It was a way to reinforce the notion of manifestation rather than illustration, and mirrored the way religious images are often encountered, filtered through time, memory, and belief.
PO8: Looking at these works now, what do you feel they capture about your broader practice, and what do you hope they offer to the wearer or viewer? With the opportunity for these pieces to be reimagined as bespoke works, how does that potential for personalisation sit within your practice?
SZ: I see these works as early expressions of themes that continue through my practice, particularly an interest in storytelling, belief, and the emotional resonance objects can carry. They exist in a space between reverence and enigma, where images are not meant to instruct, but to invite quiet reflection and imagination.
The possibility of creating bespoke versions feels like a natural extension of this approach. By integrating different metals, impressions, or gemstones, each piece can become a more personal vessel, shaped by individual meaning while still holding the same underlying narrative and sense of mystery.
Works from The Saint Series by Suzi Zutic are available to view at Pieces of Eight Gallery, 28 Russell Place, Melbourne, and online. We welcome you to visit the gallery or contact us for further enquiries.
