Schmuck Greenhouses. A Munich Jewellery Week Review 2023

Day 1

Arriving in Munich, we headed to the Schmuck info point to tackle the Munich Jewellery week map, we stumbled upon the Munich Jewellery Week HUB at Karlsplatz. Unfortunately, the jewellery speed dating event seemed to have just ended. 

We walked around the space to discover pieces by students from the Maastricht Institute of Arts, Gerrit Rietveld Academy and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Antwerp grouped into three different exhibitions, focusing on the process more than the outcome of the students. Where many pieces lay waiting to be discovered. Displayed on white cardboard structures, forming unclear spaces within their environment, we struggled to give the attention each piece deserved.

We must tell you that finding and navigating the map was already complicated. So while we figured out our plan, we headed for Extreme Beauties at the Isabella Hund gallery and admired the dialogue between Mirjam Hiller's carnivorous plants and Mari Ishikawa's dark nature. 

Hunting for Das tropiche Schaufenster exhibition, underground, we came across the forest of greenery beneath the gloom of the subway—an organic change from the classical gallery setting. Appreciating the abnormality within the greenhouse, we moved on.

Five Gentlemen Doing Things at Zink ArtCurial. A Fine Arts Gallery, where sculptures by David Clarke, David Bielander and Rudolf Bott, black and white photographs by Paul Kooiker and Karl Fritsch's rings meet one another within a two-level exhibition. Finally, after three exhibitions where the idea of touching and trying was impossible, the pieces could be worn! Fritsch's mini-punk treasures unfolded before us, parading thanks to an ingenious wheel mechanism while the rings danced beneath the spotlights.

Vitsoe Gallery presents the Sustained exhibition from Central St Martins School's students and teachers. The display seemed conservative compared to the artist's conceptual approach. Presented with a selection of contemporary interpretations of jewellery and body adornment that speak to those not connoisseurs of contemporary jewellery. In short, it was fresh and we particularly liked Kathy Chan's work.

Touring the nearby galleries, we entered gallery #30 Galerie Boutwell Schabrowsky, guesting Galerie Biró and Oculos exhibition by Jiro Kamata, a room full of small camera lenses reflecting the sun that was beginning to decline. Then Theresa Pedrosa gallery's exhibition What Dreams are Made of, where a piece by Giovanni Corvaja aroused the strong interest of supposed collectors. 

Quittenbaum gallery opened up to us by a miracle. A sweet crush for both of us. 

Herman Hermsen's exhibition presented the work of the artist over four decades, where we were able to have a small look into his artistic alter-ego: from artist-designer to gentle provocateur with a strong business plan. This is the first time the price list was revealed to us without being asked, allowing us to lift the veil on the mysterious dimension of how much a contemporary jewel is worth. The curation directly reflected the humorous nature of the works and brought us sunshine through the grey Munich sky.

Finally, we went to the Galerie Handwerk to admire the selection of works presented under SCHMUCK UND GERÄT. We could find the pieces of famous artists such as Helena Lehtinen, Dorothea Prühl, Otto Künzli, Margit Jäschke, Francesco Pavan and many others. The selection was varied and interesting, but the objects mismatched the jewellery.

The enigmatic pieces by Florian Weichsberger puzzled us as to what materials they were constructed from. Reminding us of Lin Cheung's Keep series. 

Unfortunately, we couldn't solve this mystery by looking at it from all angles because, like many of the exhibitions in MJW, the artworks were locked up under cold, reflective glass cases. We, too, were locked in the gallery. We were personifying the jewels under little greenhouses being looked at. What a combination.

Day 2

Giuliana Schmitt from the Press and Public Relations of Handwerk and Design kindly accompanied us in Hall B1 to discover the Frame, Talente and Schmuck spaces. As recommended by the expert, explored Frame first.

All of the galleries had their stands, with prices displayed or not. We were in business there. The atmosphere could be felt.

The selection of pieces from the Platina, Noel Guyomarc’h, Atta and Tinsel galleries particularly interested us, and we got lost in the mass of works each gallery offered. The scenography of the Korean Gallery O was appreciated for its prominent central island, void of any glass, which invited dialogue with the gallery owners and visitors.

The heart of the festival. SCHMUCK 2023. Curated this year by Caroline Broadhead; A pleasant surprise to see so many different typologies of jewellery. Although still a little frustrated that I couldn't see the pieces from all angles. In this selection, we could feel Caroline Broadhead's interest in the jewellery history that goes with the choice of works. Different themes emerged: commentary on classical jewellery, post-colonialism, environmental concerns and the exploration of the memory's theme. The jewels accurately bounced and responded to each other despite the jewels being enclosed under glass.

After Schmuck, approaching Talente was unnerving, leaving the warm interior of the jewellery pavilion. Where to start? What was the intended route of the curator? What if we miss something? 

The panels and display boards throughout created an unorganised and messy feel to the show, in complete contrast to Schmuck. We meandered through the maze to find an elite range of fine arts, design objects, jewellery and textile designs—a refreshing end to a jewellery-heavy day. 

Leaving the fair, we came across the exhibition of freshly graduated students from Idar Oberstein Unfolding, showing pieces of diplomas and more accessible and, above all, showing a team of young artists wanting to interfere intelligently in the workplace. The charm of using less typical gallery materials for curation only works in a very specific capacity. This was one of them.

At this stage of the trip, the sun had left us, and the rain had soaked us. We were ready to attend the warmth of the Kino theatre for Hunter from Elsewhere by Elena Alvarez Lutz about Helen Britton. With a bag of popcorn and a glass of wine, we didn't expect anything special; this was one of the highlights of our weekend.

A touching portrait that shows Helen as an artist in all aspects and not just a jewellery maker as random people used to think about contemporary jewellery. It speaks to a wider audience, not just those spending their lives creating. Leaving us excited to see Elena's next project about the power jewellery carries through memory.

Day 3

We had the pleasure of meeting Nichka Marobin, art historian, founder of The Morning Bark blog, and author of articles on Klimt02 for the Award ceremony for BKV, Talente, SCHMUCK and AJF awards. We chatted and admired the works of the winning participants.

The Pinakothek der Moderne, famous for its wine and bread inauguration evenings, opened its doors for the exhibition Red by Therese Hilbert. Formally strong pieces were touching the quintessence of perfection—perfectly designed pieces dialogue with the museum's unique architecture imagined by Stephan Braunfels. 

The loop of the never-ending last floor, a ‘fil rouge’, accompanies us in the discovery of the different periods of the artist's work. Throughout the work of a lifetime, the recurring colour red symbolises the reviving of the volcano's interior, encouraging us to take a closer look and try to understand what is going on inside Therese Hilbert's pieces.

Throughout the evening, we recognise the artists wearing their own creations, immediately transformed by the wearer. We could have observed for hours.

Day 4

We returned to Barcelona to tell Leo and Amador about our German adventure. What are the pretty young flowers' thoughts? With only a few days of going through the different exhibitions, we left disappointed that we missed the PotLuck by Masieraad students and Galerie Door exhibitions. But that is life!

Contemporary jewellery has all the characteristics to be art in its own right; it speaks of humans and has existed since our beginnings. It is worn, it is shown, and it expands the self (Georg Simmel, psychology of the body).

And to radiate all its power, we have to stop showing it under glass.

Of course, we imagine that the larger jewellery institutions often use display cases. The concern for the protection of artworks is always present and young artists often take risks by questioning the 'making show'. But these sad greenhouses need to shatter under the effect of such wonders! If each exhibitor could invest in its curation and display, this festival, which is already a fantastic initiative for all of us, will have the potential to become a must-see for all art forms. In any case, we can't wait to come back to Munich to discover many more beautiful projects. 

Charlotte and Cécile
 

About the author

Cécile Maes graduated from ENSA Limoges in design specialising in Contemporary Jewellery. Her interest in jewellery grows from the human relationships games it involves. Social object, jewellery creates narratives and becomes a sign. Investigating classical typologies, Cécile Maes’s work is a re-interpretation where historical references and everyday exploration connect ideas to speak about jewellery, the reasons why we wear it and the meanings we give to it.


Charlotte Henry is studying BA Fine Art at Central Saint Martins. Eager to broaden her knowledge and experience within the industry, she is taking part in the Diploma in Professional Studies in her third year. Her practice has been focused on depicting the female body with a central science and logic point. She has a focus on the 'circular design ethos'. Transparency within branding and thoughtfulness with the sourcing and production of work is crucial to her ethos. She is currently researching the value of digital workspace in the arts.