Silver Triennial, 16th International Competition Exhibition

Since 1965, the Gesellschaft für Goldschmiedekunst e.V. has been organizing an exhibition every three years to draw attention to the newest trends in international silversmiths’ art. Made by hand and executed in silver, hollow- and flatware such as beverage pots, bowls, candelabra, vases, dining cutlery, or objets d’art should again be brought to the attention of the public. The intention is to point out the fascinating possibilities in the artistic handling of this precious metal. The Lions Club of Hanau and the firm of Robbe & Berking, Flensburg have donated prizes for young, up-coming artists and established silversmiths, metal artists, and designers, so that the event could again be held as a competition. The announcement excited great interest worldwide; a total of 158 artists from 20 countries participated with over 200 works. In addition to many submissions from Germany and Europe, others came from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zeeland, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. 

The jury of experts – Dr. Stephan Demmrich, Dr. Rüdiger Joppien, and Beate Leonards – selected 83 participants for the traveling exhibition.

The Robbe & Berking main prize was awarded to Astrid Keller of Bremen and Nilton Cunha of Halle, Belgium. In her small vases, Astrid Keller utilized white and blacked silver; the actual body of the vases was made by distorting the irregular and closely folded sheet silver. In Nilton Cunha’s bowl-object, The Four Winds, the high level of technical skill plays a major role. The rather minimalistic design of the works is enlivened ultimately by the fascinating play of light and shadows.

The first Lions Club of Hanau Youth Promotion Prize goes to Ja-Kyung Shin of the Akademie der Bildenden Künste Nürnberg. For her “high-legged” dish, Reunion, this young artist has utilized a collection of old spoons which she cleverly combined for the actual dish. The disintegration of the silver plating is visible, retaining the “wear and tear” of time.

The second Lions Club of Hanau Youth Promotion Prize was awarded to Dong-Hyun Kim of South Korea. The jury was impressed by the excellent craftsmanship, which was evidenced most particularly in the mastery of the energetic and dynamic form. The fluted design of the vessel’s body gives the work a distinct sculptural quality, while the softly matt surface satisfies with its tactile charm.
Stefan Strube of Hannover, a graduate of the HAWK Hildesheim, received the third Lions Club of Hanau Youth Promotion Prize. With his drinking vessels of concrete and silver, the artist chose an unconventional combination of materials that is seldom found in household vessels. He has played with the transmutation of paper or plastic cups and created an entirely new aesthetic quality.

Particularly notable among the submitted dishes, are the widely projecting objects by Andreas Decker of Diekholzen and Else Nicolai Hansen of Copenhagen. Eva Reidel of Obergangkofen has dedicated herself to Jewish religious vessels: a bowl and pitcher with a very elaborate chasing technique. This allows the artist to work with relatively thin sheet silver since the treatment of the metal gives the vessels the necessary stability.

In dining utensils, the five-piece fish service by Wilfried Moll of Hamburg stands out. More playful table objects are the spoon and fork by Mirjam Hiller of Potsdam as well as the knife, fork, and spoon group by Hui Ru Pan of Taiwan. The drinking vessel theme inspired new ideas for Johannes Borst, Nuremberg; Kerstin Becker, Munich; and Katja Höltermann, Nuremberg.

Gerd Rothmann of Munich gave his candle holder pair a distinct association of masculine/feminine through the handprints on the shafts. Thomas Schleede of Hamburg has also provided a signal that his candle holders, Kleiner Jan and Stehende Öse belong together. For the current star of the silversmith scene, Hiroshi Suzuki, Tokyo/London, playing with the material is absolutely primary. This artist sees silver as a medium which allows him to express his creativity. His large vessels are created without a pattern or model; the direct confrontation with the material challenges this artist.