Amber Forest

Walking through the interior of a huge tree opens the scene of a forest from 42 million years ago. The starting point is resin flowing down tree trunks: the substance that became Baltic amber. The display connects that process with the shapes of surviving pieces. Drops and icicles are not names for jewellery cuts here, but forms created as resin flowed.

The forest also has a soundscape and a scent. Rustling leaves and the smell of moss accompany the tree scenery, while the amber on display varies in colour and shape. Rather than starting with finished jewellery, the exhibition focuses on the material and its plant origins. This part of amber's history comes before extraction and working the material.

A quotation from Stefan Żeromski's “Wiatr od morza”, published in 1922, is displayed in the room with inclusions. The passage describes resin seeping from a tree among ancient vegetation. When comparing drops and icicles, look at their outlines: the names describe their shapes, not their size or value as jewellery.