THREADS OF GOLD

Gold — a material, a metaphor, and a mystery — has long held a unique and magnetic place in the human imagination, symbolising wealth, power, divinity, and eternity. Used across centuries and cultures, from sacred iconography to imperial regalia, and from the alchemy of transformation to the Japanese art of kintsugi repair, gold has always carried a weight beyond its monetary value. Presented by BBA Gallery, this exhibition, 'Threads of Gold', explores this material not merely as adornment but as a conscious artistic choice — a potent decision made to highlight, to question, to honour, or to protect.

The artists gathered here use gold as an expressive medium, allowing it to become a language, a gesture, a form of resistance, and a revelation. Whether applied as a delicate wash, embedded deep within a structure, or engaged with purely conceptually, gold in this context is never neutral; it directs the viewer's gaze toward what truly matters: personally, politically, and spiritually. Some works choose to gild the overlooked, drawing attention to forgotten objects or marginalised narratives, while others expose and challenge what is conventionally deemed valuable. The approach is multifaceted, engaging with gold’s roles as a carrier of value (spiritual or economic), a link to rich artistic traditions, and a cutting commentary on contemporary issues of desire, wealth, or decay.

'Threads of Gold' brings together diverse voices and disciplines to reflect on this enduring material’s profound and often contradictory significances. This collection explores gold as a powerful symbol, surface, or structure, challenging us to consider what it hides, what it reveals, what it promises — and what it truly costs. The exhibition ultimately honours the precious, the decorative, and the meaningful, compelling us to ask: What do we emphasise with gold? And why?