2024 marks a bold new chapter in the intricate dance between affection and aversion as Bruce LaBruce, the iconic Canadian filmmaker, collaborates with German jeweller Jonathan Johnson. LOVE HATE, the new jewellery collection, is an evocative melange of passion and animosity.
“As Erasure once sang, in their song ‘Love to Hate You,’ ‘love and hate, what a beautiful combination!’ I couldn’t say it any better,” reflects LaBruce. “Love-hate relationships are amongst my favourites—the feeling that you love and hate something simultaneously, or at different times, depending on mood. Over the years, I’ve had love-hate relationships with a variety of people, places, and things, including Madonna, New York, Baroque Architecture, the 80s, Paris, Morrissey, Cats, the Desert, Artichokes, Toronto, The Sound of Music, Bret Easton Ellis, Caviar, Communism, Gay Clones, Karaoke, Lesbian Separatists, Academia, and Rimming.
Without love, the world would be a bleak and unforgiving place. But without hate, love would be meaningless. So don’t take your pick, choose both! As Pope Ondine once said to me, ‘Hate is a great emotion—it’s like taking a nice big shit.’ But as Anita Ekberg says in Fellini’s ‘La Dolce Vita,’ when asked what she likes most in life, ‘I like lots of things, but there are three things I like most: love, love, and love.’”
Drawing inspiration from the cinematic reverie of “The Night of the Hunter” by Charles Laughton and “Niagara” featuring Marilyn Monroe, this journey started in Toronto and snaked through Niagara Falls to Port Elgin, LaBruce’s birthplace. Accompanied by model and DJ Ewan Ferguson and sound composer Florian Kehbel, the group seeks to shatter conventional markers of good and evil.
“Our collection defies gender norms and reimagines their functions,” notes LaBruce. “In an ideologized world where supposed good fights against evil, we’re left with nothing but more hate. By reversing roles, we open new vistas of understanding.”
In the twilight tapestry of southeastern Canada’s urban labyrinths and bucolic landscapes, strip joints, and monasteries, this collection took shape under the watchful eye of Bruce and Jonathan. Capturing this 10-day pilgrimage, a music video distils the essence of the Odyssey into a visual feast.
“Woke up in a motel room, I see the world dancing through glittering eyes. Raging floodwaters rush down the cliff at the foot of the Niagara River. Painful loneliness and yet sweet as honey! Gentle as the river at the end is my destiny without God. Light figures and shadow beings—in between I would like to say to you: I love you! Oh, you Saints and Sinners, now take this collection and bring it to life!” imparts Jonathan Johnson.
JEWELRY
The collection features 47 meticulously crafted pieces: rings, necklaces, earrings, shoe pins, a bracelet, and a bangle, complemented by socks, a cap, and a tote bag. Hosannas of style is echoed in a lavish catalogue, capturing the most expressive moments of the collection.
Handcrafted in Hamburg, these treasures are available in both affordable brass and 925 recycled sterling silver forms. For those who seek the opulence of real gold, bespoke pieces can be created upon request.
Launched at brucelabrucejewelry.com, the online shop epitomizes the enduring partnership between LaBruce and Johnson. While the LOVE HATE collection takes centre stage, the platform will also exhibit a rich tapestry of projects spanning 14 transformative years.
@brucelabruce + @jonathanjohnsonjewelry
@ewankferguson – Model
@abd_al_azrad – Cinematographer
