I think my education has made a valuable contribution to helping me find my own form of expression. An interview with Hannah Offermann Winner of the Klimt02 New Talents Award 2026

You graduated recently, and this year your work is shown at Schmuck, alongside a selection for a solo show. How does it feel, and you, how do you feel?
Hannah Offermann: Designing and working on my thesis was already a lot of fun, and seeing the results of my time at university was very rewarding. Being able to show my work on various public platforms is, of course, fantastic and a great recognition of my work. My pieces are intended to provoke thought and encourage people to look at them and develop their own ideas. I am therefore very grateful that these opportunities have arisen. 


Your works seem to function both as extensions of the body and as independent forms. How do you negotiate this relationship between object and body?
HO: I find this idea so exciting because it is actually a fundamental characteristic of jewellery. Either it is worn on the body, fulfilling its function, or it is taken off and loses some of its actual function at that moment. It often appears less beautifully shaped and loses its brilliance. Which is a pity, because most jewellery is not worn constantly. And yet it is usually quite clear how and on which part of the body the jewellery is worn. 
Because the shape of my pieces changes after they are taken off, this location is no longer entirely clear. This creates a distance between the body and the object. It becomes easier to view it separately from the body and one's own identity. At the same time, it stimulates curiosity when there is no direct relationship to the body and the function changes. 


In your statement, you address opposing notions such as fragility and resilience, protection and exposure. Has this tension always been present in your work? Could you tell us how this project developed, and whether these ideas still inform your current pieces?
HO: In my earlier works, I worked less with direct contrasts, but the idea of a wide range of sensations coexisting was still often present. I believe that different perspectives and sensations coexist, and that this diversity is enriching and exciting. At the same time, however, we quickly forget the diversity that exists in so many different areas. I consider this an important fact for encouraging understanding and harmony, however.

In this work, I have extensively explored the psyche and the factors that contribute to mental well-being. Time and again, it has become clear that achieving balance between different aspects is very important. Balance cannot be achieved through extremes. It is important to consider different aspects and respond to different needs. I find this a beautiful thought because it creates softness. Nothing is ever black and white; we should acknowledge that things, feelings and needs coexist and embrace the countless shades of grey.
This topic will continue to accompany me, as I consider it an important assumption. Accepting ambivalence is important for social structures, both in relation to oneself and in exchanges with others.


Hannah Offermann. Necklace: Armor and how it forges relationships AR1, 2025. Copper, para-aramid thread (Kevlar)


You first completed a three-year training as a goldsmith. Do you feel this experience influenced or supported your later studies in Pforzheim in any way?
HO: During my studies, a large part of the course involved experimenting and ultimately implementing the designed projects myself. My technical knowledge naturally helped me with this, as I found the implementation easier, especially when working with metals. At the same time, I felt that through my work as a goldsmith, I had also learned certain “rules” about how some things work and what you might not do. As a result, I was rather closed to some ideas and first had to learn to look at an idea neutrally and try something that the goldsmith in me would say wouldn't work anyway, because often it does work. Nevertheless, I am very grateful to have this technical foundation, as an understanding of craftsmanship can also be very enriching for design, as it broadens the range of possible solutions.


What does it mean, in practice, to be a student at Pforzheim University School of Design? How is the programme structured, and what is required in order to complete and validate a Bachelor’s degree?
HO: I think the program tries to open us up to new ideas, and at the same time offers us the opportunity to find an individual language in which we want to express ourselves. In practice, this means that we spend a lot of time in art classes, drawing, painting, and photography, which focus on artistic exploration. In addition, we have the opportunity to learn various techniques such as electroplating, enamelling, and pottery. However, the focus is always on individual jewellery projects. The aim is to experiment as much as possible, to explore different directions, and to discover something interesting or new through exchanges with other students and the teacher. This then results in final projects, which we realise ourselves.

In the final semester of the program, students work on their bachelor's thesis. The focus here is on a written paper. This is an exploration of a topic of the student's choice. The aim is to carry out research on the topic and generate new thoughts and ideas from it. The other focus is on practical work. Here, a collection is developed based on the written thesis. This also includes the practical implementation of the concept and a final presentation of the pieces.
Hannah Offermann. Necklace: Armor and how it forges relationships AR8, 2025. Copper, para-aramid yarn (Kevlar).


You spent a semester on exchange at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. What did this experience bring to your practice? Did you encounter a different approach to teaching or learning there?
HO: I think that in both craftsmanship and design, a change of location and interaction with new people is always very valuable. New insights and techniques can be learned which, at first glance, may seem trivial or insignificant, but which, when taken together, form a valuable collection of knowledge and perspectives. I don't think the teaching methods of the two different schools are fundamentally different, but it gave me the opportunity to interact with new people and discover a very special kind of motivation and enthusiasm. At the same time, I was taken out of my comfort zone and worked with different materials and approaches. I focused on working with wood and became more oriented towards nature and its forms.


What does it feel like to enter the “real world” after graduation, once the intensity of that period has passed?
HO: The time spent completing my degree is considered to have been very positive. Being able to carry out my final project at the university was a great experience, with all the opportunities available there. Then came the time to make decisions and determine the direction in which I want to develop, as well as consider how this is compatible with the reality of the job market. This brings its own difficulties, but I think it's valuable to engage with the real world and establish your place in it rather than remaining in the sheltered environment of university.


How do you think your education prepared you for life after your studies? And with some distance now, is there anything you feel jewellery, art & design schools should place more emphasis on?  Perhaps something important was missing?
HO: I think my education has made a valuable contribution to helping me find my own form of expression and to giving me the opportunity to explore different subject areas and discover what interests me and where I could see myself working. One area where I see potential for development, both for my own school and for others, is in addressing the issues of self-employment and economic understanding. I think many people in the fields of jewellery, art, and design would like to start their own business, but I feel there is a lack of basic understanding of this topic, and we, as graduates feel overwhelmed by it.


Hannah Offermann. Necklace. Armor AR5, 2025. Copper, para-aramid thread (Kevlar). 
 

About the author

Hannah Offermann is a goldsmith and designer who finds inspiration in social interactions. She lives and works in Aachen, Germany, and began her training as a goldsmith in a studio in Hamburg. She then studied jewelry design in Pforzheim. During these studies, her interest in different craft techniques and cultural exchange brought her to Indonesia for an internship as well as Canada for an exchange semester. She was part of the degree show at the Marzee Gallery, Netherlands, and was selected to participate in SCHMUCKmünchen 2026. She is also the winner of the 2026 New Talent Award from Klimt02.