Alex Monroe: Into The Wild

Garden Museum Exhibition

Large silver floral stem displayed in a stoneware vase against pale grey background on a green surface with natural sunlight.

Dates: 1 May - 1 Jun 2025

Alex’s first ever exhibition, Into the Wild has been a real labour of love, over a year in the making, and created for the Garden Museum in Lambeth, London.

Alex has selected five endangered habitats in the UK and studied each one in detail through sketching, drawing, pressing and making to reflect on how we engage with our natural surroundings.

A pair of leafy branches made from silver resting atop a sketchbook with corresponding leaf sketches.

As a lifelong craftsperson, Alex uses the exhibition to explore his role as a creator - the observer and recorder who is also a part of nature. His jeweller’s world is slowly engulfed by nature itself, through patient study, both out in the field and back at his workbench, giving way to a thoughtful interpretation of our diminishing natural world.

The classical tradition of Dutch and Spanish still life paintings beloved by Alex, were an inspiration in creating pieces that are a snapshot in time.

Yet they also show a dynamic world where time doesn’t stop; growth, blossom, decay and renewal are constantly in play, co-existing in a continuous cycle as part of this perpetual ecosystem. The idea that by detailed study and forensic exploration, we can lose ourselves in the narrative of continual regeneration - nature in perfect imperfection, time suspended.

Working with our good friend, Floral Designer Hazel Gardiner, Alex has created five sculptural portraits - dynamic floral displays to represent each endangered habitat. These will be shown alongside a documentation of the creative process from exploring, to sketch book, to the jeweller’s bench.

Into the Wild invites visitors to pause to view these intricate sculptures, and explore an intimate relationship with nature by offering moments of quiet, considered introspection, away from screens. In taking time to reflect on our connection with nature, creativity and its effects on our mental health, Alex also invites us to consider our complicity in the degeneration of our natural environment.

Silver floral stems arranged in a stoneware vase and a blue glass bottle on Alex's workbench in dappled sunlight.

Alongside the exhibition, Alex will be giving talks about his work and demonstrations of the designing and making process, with community focussed workshops for all ages and abilities. Stay tuned for more news on this!

Garden Museum

And following on from Into the Wild, we have our collection for Spring / Summer 2025 - Wild Botany. With pieces that range from delicately everyday to strong silhouettes and pure glamour, we will have new styles such as ear cuffs and statements made with bold yet detailed shapes - all with signature Alex Monroe texture.

Wild Botany is the result of a craftsperson's patient study, a thoughtful interpretation of the natural world, and taking time to observe, appreciate and experience it.

Coming May 2025

Alex Monroe is an internationally renowned jeweller. His work is often inspired by nature and the nostalgia of a childhood in 1970’s Suffolk. He has been designing and making jewellery in his studios in London since 1986.

Alex grew up in a rambling old house in a coastal village and spent his childhood roaming fields and forests, and mucking about on the river. It was a childhood rich in freedom and imagination where he constantly crafted all sorts of interesting (and sometimes slightly dangerous) tools and inventions to accompany him on his adventures.

Alex Monroe at his workbench wearing his blue jewellers' jacket, holding two of his small silver floral stems.

Conventional schooling wasn’t successful. A wonderfully bohemian foundation course in Ipswich led to many failures to study fashion at university. Alex finally accepted an offer to learn jewellery making at the City of London Polytechnic. On graduating he completed a short course with the Royal College of Art and set up his eponymous business in 1986.

Alex’s designs were soon picked up by Japanese and American fashion retailers and the brand continues to export internationally. His signature style is instantly recognisable around the world.

Alex Monroe is a keen gardener and this is reflected in many of his designs. He sails his old gaffer boat in his beloved Suffolk, where he walks, cycles, runs and draws. Always drawing. He mentors young jewellery designers, is a Trustee of the Goldsmith’s Centre and regularly writes and talks on the subject of jewellery. He teaches at his own jewellery school in South-East London.