Lena Tchibor (2011) ‘Summa Summarum’ is a bronze medal in the shape of a Möbius strip.
Lena Tchibor's research shows that the Möbius strip form had not before been used in medal art. The most important thing for Lena was that a Möbius strip medal would not have the reverse and adverse that medal traditionally has. But at the same time we cannot class the Möbius strip medal as one-sided as a Möbius strip has only one side which looks like two sides. Lena Tchibor thought that it was an excellent idea for the shape of a medal. Because the Möbius strip represents all in all in terms of its optical illusion – one-sided/two-sided effect. Lena Tchibor decided to place text on my medal which is “Summa Summarum” which translated from Latin language as “All in all” or “On the whole”. Lena believe that this phrase reflects very well the Möbius strip idea.
About 20 years ago Lena Tchibor saw a ring by Carl Fabergé (which is in a private collection in Russia) with the same writing on. That ring was believed to have been created for the Head of the Freemasons Lodge in St Petersburg, Russia, at the beginning of the XXth century. Because Lena saw that ring and was inspired by Carl Fabergé she thought that it would be better if the fonts she used for the writing on her medal would be the same as the Freemasons used on their documents. Lena Tchibor found in the library a photograph of a Freemasons document from 1876 and she copied font’s style from there.
Lena Tchibor's medal has no edge as this adds to the whole optical illusion of a Möbius strip shaped medal: just one side, no edges, all in all.
Shortlisted by The British Art Medal Society (BAMS)
BAMs Award (2011).
Exhibited at the School of Jewellery, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD). March 2011.
Bronze Sculpture by Lena Tchibor
My bronze medal (Möbius strip) "Summa Summarum" on display at the British Art Medal Society Exhibition (14th March - 14th April 2011)
at the School of Jewellry, BIAD, Birmingham City University. Printed Catalogue.