Internationally acclaimed designer Jorge Caicedo Montes De Oca has created a contemporary line of jewelry using authentic collectible Bakelite from the l930's-50's. His clean designs contrast the old with the new. His original creations are limited editions that capture the mood of the Deco-era to be wom and cherished today.
His designs have appeared all over the world on magazine covers in the U.S.A. France, and England. These magazines include: Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Mademoiselle. AJM: American Jewelry Manufacturer. Cosmopolitan and Elle.
His unique designs are sold at top of the line boutiques in the U.S. His work has also been sold at the designers store at the Museum of Modem Art in New York, as well as in the Philadelphia Museum of Modern Art. At least 24 of his pieces belong to the Costume Institute Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. He has also exhibited his unique pieces with designers such as Geoffrey Beene. ln the 1980's he was one of approximately 20 top designers featured at Robert Lee Morris Art wear Gallery in Soho, New York, one of the most outstanding galleries to propose designer jewelry as a true expression of line art His designs have also been shown in the international and U.S.A exhibitions commemorating the centenary of Dr. Leo Baekeland`s invention of Bakelite 1907-2007.
Being a part of the jewelry business for the past 48 years in New York. Jorge Caicedo and his wife Piedad Ceballos Caicedo were able to redeem a large amount of vintage Bakelite material in the past 20 years. He bought Bakelite in the form of rods in a variety of shapes and sizes from factories that were closing out. These include the rare tubes he uses to make hinged "clappers" like the Philadelphia bracelet.
His jewelry line includes bracelets, pins, earrings. necklaces and rings. His designs in Bakelite are a faithful remembrance of the classic constructivist concept in the l930's.
Jorge Caicedo Montes De Oca has applied his principles as a sculptor in designing and creating exquisite jewelry. His designs are a timeless statement of high-end fashion jewelry.
1964 - 1967 Art Student's League New York City Sculpture
1954 - 1960 Escuela De Bellas Artes, Bogota, Colombia, S.A Sculpture, silversmith, ceramics and stage design
1989 - PRESENT The costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York City
1986 - PRESENT Collection of jewelry sold in high-end boutiques located in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, as well as numerous cities on the East Coast.
1991 - 99 Collection of work at the Design Store, The Museum of Modern Art New York City
1988 - 1990 Fragments Showroom Collections sold to Major DPT. stores, boutiques in the U.S, Europe and Japan
1988 - 89 Geoffrey Beene Spring Collection New York City
1985 - 87 Collection at Art Wear Robert Lee Morris New York City
1979 - 1985 Design and manufacture own line ! of furniture and art objects
1964 - 1978 Kim Craftman Inc Head designer
2008 - PRESENT Reindert Groof founder/curator of Amsterdam Bakelite Collection Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Europe click to visit link
2007 - PRESENT Hugh Karraker Co-founder of the LH Baekeland Project Great Grandson of Leo Hendrick Baekeland inventor of Bakelite Redding, CT USA click to visit link
1989 - PRESENT Jorge Caicedo Montes De Oca. Collection of work in lucite plastics. The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY USA click to visit link
2010 MadeI Yonkers Bakelite in Yonkers Pioneering the Age of Plastics. Hudson River Museum. Yonkers, New York USA click to visit link
2009 Participated in the Film documentary "All Things Bakelite" Directed by- John E. Maher. Executive producer-Hugh Karraker. Commemorating the invention of Bakelite by Dr. Leo Baekeland click to view
2008 - 2009 Heat and Pressure-100 years of Bakelite
Saginaw Welcomes Bakelite County at the Castle Museum. Michigan Society of Saginaw Saginaw, Michigan USA click to visit link
2008 Heat And Pressure-100 years of Bakelite
Leo Baekeland and Mark Twain meet again Mark Twain Library Redding, Connecticut US click to visit link
2007 The Centenary of the invention of Bakelite by Dr. Leo H Baekeland 1907-2007 Commemorative Bakelite pin designed by Jorge Caicedo Montes De Oca. New York, NY USA
2007 Museum for the History of Sciences 100 years of Bakelite. Ghent University Belgium. Ghent, Belgium