Ulrich Reithofer: 10 Years MIJNLuxus - HEAD WORKS with BODY & SOUL

Artist list

Ulrich Reithofer

It does not matter if one is familiar with what is going on in the world of jewellery in all the galleries in Europe, USA or Japan. Anyone who sees the work from Ulrich Reithofer and thinks “I’ve never seen anything like this before” is right. This Austrian born artist has travelled a lot himself. He has studied in Idar-Oberstein, where he has acquired his knowledge working with stones and hard materials, he has followed a two year Master course in Amsterdam at the Sandberg institute and has observed closely what goes on in his craft. But he has never been led, instead he absorbed what he wanted to take on and developed his own entirely unique style within the world of jewellery. In his own language he could be called a “originalexemplar”.

He is first and foremost a sculptor. He can work wood, stone and metal in such a way that one can read his movements. The shapes that take forms are very familiar notwithstanding their roughness : apple cores, wings, cups. In his past work he has also included radiators and busts. One way or another he succeeds in joining those figurative elements to wearable pieces. His way of joining is also very recognizable, big loops, some pearls, thread and sometimes very intricate soldering shows up as well.
Pleasing is not what one should expect in his work and yet… he knows how to fascinate, make someone curious and own associations and thoughts rapidly wander at the sight of his work. This is one of the most beautiful things one can expect from a maker.

In this new series of work one can find returning elements as well as a few surprises. Some of them refer to the history of jewellery like the use of shells. He has always been strong in rings and brooches and now the centre of gravity lies in necklaces. There is evolution/movement in his work, this as well makes the work of an artist worthwhile.

I see a lot of jewellery myself, contemporary and historical, out of love and professionally. Take it from me, this new body of work from Ulrich Reithofer deserves all attention, they are jewels after all and they deserve to be worn.
Marjan Unger

....................

The raw, crude and integral beauty of Ulrich Reithofer’s works adorn my wife Beate (sometimes) and the wall of our house always.His visual elegant but impoliteness gives the wearer the feeling, the primitive farmer boy feels when looking at the life and its polished politeness. Because if there is one thing to be mainly said about Reithofer’s work that it is as the same time straight, clear, honest and completely unpolished.

But none the less there is a shine and that is the shine of joy. So here we are Joyas were the great masters as Picasso and Calder would grow silent for, just the shortest lapse of a second. “
Philip Sajet

....................

I was thinking the other day, if i would live on this world without being provoked by my senses what would be left of me, maybe an anonymous piece of material floating somewhere unnoticed, weightless. As we observe material we shape our minds and as we shape our minds we express ourself thus the physical world around us creates the outline of our body and mind, as individuals for Reithofer, the size of individuality is elusive, the weight of the world immense making it for us, as light and wearable as he can...”
Cay Schroeder

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ulrich Reithofer
Born in Austria, currently living and working in Amsterdam as jewellery maker. Graduated from Technical College for Civil Engineering (Linz, Austria), University of Applied Sciences Trier, Department Gemstone and Jewellery Design from Idar-Oberstein, Germany (prof. T. Smeets) and Institute of Sandberg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (prof. M. Unger). He works with metals and gemstones, but mostly takes his inspiration from more unusual materials like wood , bones or glass.

Jewellery is the most important medium for him, and his works are almost always associated in some way with sculpture. However unlike sculptures, jewellery is based on the body rather than on a static surface. The author treats it as a way of communication: as a dialog between the artist, his work and recipient. He believes that the jewellery generates strength and expression through the person who is wearing it. Although the works of Reithofer are not always suitable to be comfortably worn, he emphasizes this very important aspect of body-relation; their jewellery nature and tangibility are speaking of his admiration for humanity and beauty.

The artists took his part in many international symposia, jewellery workshops, published articles in catalogs for exhibitions and magazines for designing jewellery.