Challenge 2025 Jewelry and Celebration
“A alegria é a coisa mais séria da vida!”
“Joy is the most serious thing in life!”
Almada Negreiros, Portuguese multidisciplinary artist
Let’s party! Tincal lab turns 10 in 2025 and it seems like the perfect time to reflect on the power of jewelry when it comes to celebrate special moments.
Jewels are often connected to collective rituals and long-time traditions. Think about weddings, coronation or awards ceremonies, graduations and anniversaries.
In the context of celebration, a jewel can be universally recognized as a symbol of a commitment or an achievement. On a more personal level, it can celebrate memories, emotions and feelings. As a sign of intimacy, it can hide secrets whose meaning is only noticed by the wearer and someone who has the key. Often left as a heirloom or gifted on special dates, a jewel can bear layers of meanings that connect us to people we love or special events in our lives. With or without the weight of its material value, it can be carried like a treasure we cherish more than gold.
A metaphor, a memory vessel, a souvenir, a reflexion of a personal expression, a display of social status, a symbol of love that stands the test of time. Jewelry is definitely a way to celebrate life in all its variety of forms and expressions. You’re invited to join the celebration!
INFORMATION
With the main objective to show the quality and diversity of contemporary jewelry, opening its doors to the general public, Tincal lab invites every year jewelers from around the world for a Challenge: the creation of up to 3 pieces with a maximum price each, inspired by a theme.
From this Open Call launched in June results an international event of exhibition and sale of unique characteristics. The opening is at Tincal lab in November, on the date of Simultaneous Openings event in Miguel Bombarda quarter, in Porto, accompanied by the release of a catalog.
In each edition, since 2018, has been awarded the Selection of the Jury Award and two Selection of the Public Awards (voting in person and online), consisting of an exhibition at Tincal lab over the following year.
In the latest edition, in 2024, we gathered around 200 exclusive jewelry pieces created by the 78 jewelers from 31 different countries selected by the jury from more than 250 applications.
In 2025, the year Tincal lab turns 10, the 11th edition of Tincal lab Challenge launches the theme: Jewelry and Celebration.
The maximum price of each piece will be of 150€.
The opening will be at Tincal lab on November 15th of 2025.
DEADLINES
Application: until June 30th 2025
Selection: until July 20th 2025
Formalization of registration: until July 31st 2025
Reception of pieces: until September 30th 2025
Exhibition: from November 15th to December 31st 2025
Possibility of itinerancy during 2026 (optional)
Period of sale in shop and online: until June 30th 2026 (adaptable, in case of itinerancy)
Return of pieces to the artists: from July 1st 2026 (for the artists that don’t take part in the itinerancy)
WHY A MAXIMUM PRICE?
Presenting a price cap we intend to demystify the concept of art jewelry near the general public, to remove it from the context of the inaccessible art gallery and start a discussion towards understanding its value.
We want the price cap to be a differentiating element, but also a statement. Something that will catch the attention of the visitor.
We also aspire to allow everybody to buy a unique piece of jewelry for a relatively accessible price. This way people can get out of their comfort zones without feeling restricted by their budgets.
For the artists, this can also be an opportunity to think outside the box - to create something different, with different means or - why not - to exceptionally allow someone to have one of their pieces for an incredibly low price.
Working on a budget, without compromising quality, identity and creativity - that is the Challenge too.
APPLICATION PHASE IS OVER
All candidates will be contacted after July 21st with the results.
JURY
Ana Pina (Portugal) | jeweler, gallerist, curator, founder of Tincal lab
Graduates in architecture (FAUP, 2004) and works in this area for some years before discovering the world of jewelry. Jeweler and gallerist, she now divides her work between her personal brand, launched in 2012, and Tincal lab, that is since 2015 an active contemporary jewelry workshop and exhibition space in the center of Porto.
In her work Ana Pina creates unique pieces or limited collections of jewels with a strong abstract and geometric inspiration.
Esteban Erosky (Mexico / Spain) | winner of Tincal lab Challenge 2024 Selection of the Jury Award
Esteban is a jeweler, enameler and researcher.
He has studied in several countries and has specialized in classic enameling techniques, adapting them to contemporary themes, portraying social, human, and gender issues, and claimering individual freedom.
His pieces are short stories, always in a playful language, despite their painful themes.
Justyna Teodorczyk (Poland) | director of the Gallery of Art in Legnica
Justyna Teodorczyk, PhD, culture researcher, art curator, mentor, educator, director of the Gallery of Art in Legnica (Poland), organizer of the Legnica Jewellery Festival SILVER. Curator of many authors jewellery exhibitions organized in the frame of the Festival. She initiated a project that resulted in the creation of the website Biżuteria Artystyczna w Polsce (Artistic Jewellery in Poland), which gathers Polish Jewellery artist.
Apart from goldsmithing, she is involved in contemporary art exhibitions by Polish artists and educational projects. Juror of the jewellery contests, cooperated with e.g. Romanian Jewellery Week, Israel Bienniale, Arts Thread, Global Creative Graduate Showcase, Milano Jewelry Week.