Inspirations
Ancient Civilizations and Cultural Heritage
Malki Studio artists are greatly inspired by current and past civilizations, cultures, and historical periods.
In particular, we draw deeply from our own cultural heritage, which encompasses Jewish traditions across the Middle East, Mediterranean, North Africa, and Europe.
This influence is clear in our aesthetics and the themes we explore—especially the intertwined relationship between jewellery and objects of spiritual charge and transcendental function (such as talismans, amulets, and fetishes).
Other cultures also enrich our work. We respectfully reference histories such as Imperial Russia, Central and Southern Africa, and Ancient Egypt, approaching these with admiration.
We similarly celebrate the themes and aesthetics of Ancient Greece, The Roman Empire, and Islamic Art.
Though distinct, these traditions often connect through jewellery, which bridges across cultures and eras via the enduring bond between personal adornment and identity expression.
At times, our work engages with specific periods, evident in pieces inspired by Renaissance and Baroque European Art and our affinity for the intricate jewellery of the Middle Ages, where Christian and Pagan iconography met in striking and beautiful ways.
Architecture
As a natural extension of Malki Studio’s culturally diverse inspirations, architectural themes often shape our art jewellery.
Architecture, alongside art, serves as a key marker through which civilizations, cultures, and historical periods are distinguished and understood.
It acts as an index of a society’s core values and structure—reflecting not only cultural power and scale but also societal organization, spiritual beliefs, and unique aesthetic traditions worldwide.
Central to Malki Studio’s architectural references is the rich and diverse built heritage of our ancestral homeland, Israel. With its complex history, Israel boasts a myriad of styles—from ancient Jewish sites like Jerusalem and Masada, to Ancient Greek and Roman ruins, Islamic and Christian sacred architecture, and the iconic Bauhaus modernism of Tel Aviv.
Our architectural influences also extend beyond Israel, shaped by life in Australia and travels, including Indian and Asian temples and shrines, and colonial British architecture.
Nature
Alongside our passion for history, culture, and architecture, Malki Studio’s jewellery is profoundly inspired by nature and the environment—whose care and protection are fundamental to both our art and our lives.
Our experiences living across diverse landscapes—from the bustling cities of Paris, Australia, and Israel, to the vast Australian Outback, the rugged Negev Desert, and the lush subtropical town of Bargara, where we are based—have deeply shaped our creative vision.
Travel has further opened our eyes to the incredible beauty and diversity of the natural world, continually inspiring wonder and respect.
We cherish the unique environments that have touched us: the shimmering waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the profound stillness of the Dead Sea, the endless horizons of the Pacific Ocean along Australia’s coast, the rich soils of Bargara’s farmlands, and the vast, golden expanses of Australia’s interior and the Negev Desert—along with every living being that calls these places home.
Socioenvironmental Responsibility
As artists, we see our role as going beyond crafting merely “pretty” or desirable objects. Our work engages with and respects contemporary life and the environment.
At Malki Studio, we celebrate the freedoms and privileges we enjoy living in Australia, while also challenging outdated and problematic societal values here and beyond.
This includes advocating for gender, LGBTQA+, and racial equality, confronting attitudes toward climate change and the environment, questioning the jewellery industry’s standards, and promoting inclusivity for differently-abled bodies in fashion.
We embrace every colour, every size, every shape, every gender, and every individual.
Our commitment to a sustainable and ethical jewellery practice is reflected in responsible sourcing of metals (Palloys Sustainability) and gemstones (Lawson’s Gems and Gemstones Brazil), as well as our solar-powered studio.
For us, ethical practice means honesty and transparency in every aspect of our work and sourcing.
Materials and Making
At Malki Studio, we see art jewellery as a powerful form of self-determination—a way to break free from socially prescribed roles and shape one’s own reality through fantasy and transformation.
We embrace unconventional material combinations and push beyond industry norms, experimenting freely with surface treatments and mixed media. Our practice challenges the jewellery industry’s “acceptable” uses of materials.
Creation itself is vital to us—the process where raw materials transform into objects that empower and express the self.
We view art not as luxury or indulgence, but as a necessary force for the artist, the wearer, and society as a whole.
Discover the meaning behind specific bodies of work in our collections.