I am little. My grandfather is big. We are standing in a museum.

Behind the glass are ancient figurines, deities, amulets. We are not allowed to touch them.

But I know they are meant to be held. They are thousands of years old, and they have something to tell us.

I want to touch them and listen.

So I grew up and learned to make my own.

I studied ancient objects, sculpted, cast, made mistakes and started again — until a piece of metal began to speak.

I call them artifacts.

I don’t reproduce antiquity. I work with ancient forms and meanings, allowing them to continue into the present.

For me, the archaic is alive.

My artifacts are made to be touched, worn, warmed by the body, and marked by life.

I am Ilana Eigen, jewelry sculptor and founder of Eigen Persova.

I create artifacts to be worn.

Now I can touch them.