The Norwegian Bolesølje Brooch in Historical Context: Agency, Identity, Representation

Lori Talcott's project examines the stylistic and technical development, folklore, and social history of a family of medieval brooches known as bolesøljer. Situating these brooches within their cultural context, she will discuss their role as identity markers, and how they were made, used, and valued from the 13th century to the present. Central to this project is how the past resides in the present, and how visual language and craft knowledge are contained and transmitted through the objects themselves. Talcott is a studio artist and independent researcher. She is a trained goldsmith, silversmith, and filigree worker with a background in folklore and art history. She was on the faculty at the Rhode Island School of Design for many years and has served as a guest professor in Traditional Art at USN.