Friedrich Becker Prize 2017

Professor Friedrich Becker (1922–1997) was one of the outstanding artistic luminaries of our time. As an internationally renowned goldsmith, as a creator of kinetic objects and designer within the Düsseldorf art scene, he had a formative influence on the goldsmiths’ art of the second half of the twentieth century. He was awarded prizes for his work and received the highest accolades worldwide. Prestigious museums have included his work in their collections and have shown them in numerous exhibitions.

Previous prize-winners
The Friedrich Becker Prize has previously been awarded to Rudolf Bott (1999), Anette Walz (2002), Peter Bauhuis (2005), Robert Baines (2008), Alexander Vohswinkel (2011) and Sam Tho Duong (2014).

Theme and Materials
Submissions can be jewelry or hollow/ flatware, either one-of-a-kind or a prototype for serial production produced within the last three years with an innovative character typical of Friedrich Becker’s work. The inclusion of new materials and techniques is equally as desirable as the utilization of the classic materials for jewelry, hollow- and flatware design.
 
Participation
Gold and silversmiths, jewelry and metal artists and designers, both domestic and foreign, are invited to submit entries. Each participant may submit a maximum of three works.
The value in euros (material value and work hours) stated by the participant will be considered as the insurance value (maximum: 15,000 euros/work). The insurance coverage by the organizer will begin with the arrival of the work(s) and end with the receipt of the shipment by the receiver. In the case of loss or damage, only the cost of the material and work hours will be compensated.
The works must be so constructed that they can withstand repeated packing and unpacking.

Jury
Dirk Allgaier, publisher Arnoldsche Art Publishers Stuttgart.
Michael Berger, goldsmith, Düsseldorf.
Dr. Sabine Runde, Curator and Head Custodian, Museum Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt/Main.

The decision of the jury is final with no legal recourse


Competition procedure:
The selection of the works (prize-winner and exhibition objects) will take place in two jury sessions, a photograph jury and an object jury.
1. Photograph Jury: submissions to be received in Hanau no later than December 2, 2016:  
- Completed registration form.
- Short biography (digital, max. 2000 characters incl. spaces).
- Digital photo files of the work(s) on CD-ROM (tif or psd, min. 2500 x 2500 pixels, multiple views of the object).
After the Photograph Jury, the selected participants will be notified and requested to ship the work(s).

2. Object Jury: the works selected by the jury must be received in Hanau between January 2nd and 10th, 2017.
 
Entries from Germany/ EU countries:
The shipment must be accompanied by a copy of the registration form and be sent pre-paid to the Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau.

Entries from non-EU countries:
The shipment must be sent pre-paid to the Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau. The registration form must be included with the shipment. The value declaration must be in euros. The objects must be declared as exhibition objects and not as merchandise. The shipment may be sent by mail or by a shipping company. If a shipping company is utilized, please make certain that the company declares the objects as “exhibition objects” and that these will be “not for sale.” Shipments by the TNT firm will not be accepted. The German Goldsmiths’ House will arrange for customs clearance.

Award ceremony:
​The award ceremony and opening of the exhibition will take place on March 4, 2017, at the Stadtmuseum in Düsseldorf.
The award address will be held by Cornelie Holzach, Director Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim.
The prize winner and selected works will be exhibited through the end of March, 2017, in the Stadtmuseum and then in the German Goldsmiths’ House in Hanau until the beginning of May, 2017.