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Herman Hermsen

Jeweller
Published: 19.06.2025

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The main challenge and focus within my work is looking for new concepts and new technical solutions within a contemporary framework of traditional values and crafts combined with expressive and innovative design.
Herman Hermsen. Herman Hermsen

Bio

For a long time, Dutch product designer Herman Hermsen devoted himself in equal parts to the design of industrial products and jewelry. After studying at the Akademie voor Beeldende Kunsten Arnhem from 1974 to 1979, Hermsen's passion was lighting design. Hermsen follows his own consistent line. His luminaire designs create a dialogue between functionality and form with playful ease. The construction itself becomes a decorative element. Not infrequently, the designs are accompanied with a wink, such as the table light Along came Bette, whose slanted reflector disc on the bulb is reminiscent of the large hats worn by the film star Bette Davis.

In addition, Hermsen assisted Emmy van Leersum, the wife of his former teacher Gijs Bakker, with jewelry design for four years during this phase. A medium that now moved more and more into the foreground of his work. His designs break with the traditional norms of jewelry as a status symbol. Colorfully painted steel wire, aluminum or plastic transforms into easy-going jewelry objects. 

In general, my working method with regard to all designs is based on a reinterpretation of the respective product, Hermsen says. The results are experiments in form that challenge conventional notions of function and wearability. There are brooches that manage entirely without brooching and are held in place only by pinching the fabric, or bulky headdresses made of thin wire that protrude into space when fastened over the ears. 
After he was appointed professor at the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, Hermsen turned his focus entirely to serially manufactured jewelry. Today, his works are represented in numerous museums and collections.
 

Statement

Since I started working as a designer the main challenge and focus within my work is looking for new concepts and new technical solutions within a contemporary framework of traditional values and crafts combined with expressive and innovative design.

I conceive my jewellery as unique piece, as multiple or for serial manufacturing. Concept is always an important starting point and can develop into different directions: New interpretations for the meaning of the jewellery; technical or constructive approaches; critiques about materialistic values, or concepts from an associative, anecdotal or a humoristic point of view.

From the beginning of my professinal practice I developed two paralel lines in my work : product design and jewellery design. In jewellery design as well as in product design concepts for one-offs and for serial production.
Within the concepts for serial production the re-interpretation of the function or the production process is a main issue in the challenge to find innovative solutions for form related to the way it can be produced.

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Events      View / hide events

2025:
Exhibition  30 Mar 2025 - 04 Jun 2025  Extranalities No.15: Ai!*Ai!*Ai!* - intellingence* to wear.
2024:
2023:
Exhibition  04 May 2023 - 11 Jun 2023  Extranalities Nr.12: Pop it or Pin it.
Exhibition  27 Apr 2023 - 28 May 2023  Extranalities Nr.11: Pictureware 3.
Exhibition  09 Mar 2023 - 12 Mar 2023  Extranalities Nr.10: Pictureware 2.
2021:
Exhibition  20 Nov 2021 - 06 Feb 2022  Chronos in Padova.
2019:
Exhibition  23 Nov 2019 - 18 Dec 2019  New Craft Object Design in Lisbon.
2018:
Exhibition  06 Jul 2018 - 26 Aug 2018  I-Land by Herman Hermsen.
2017:
Exhibition  25 Nov 2017 - 10 Jan 2018  Pearls Upside Down.
Open call  20 Nov 2017 - 21 Nov 2017  Schnupperstudium Open Access.
Exhibition  17 Nov 2017 - 28 May 2018  Jewelry of Ideas: Gifts from the Susan Grant Lewin Collection..
Award giving  20 May 2017 - 20 May 2017  Legnica International Jewellery Festival Silver Winners 2017.
Exhibition  03 Feb 2017 - 04 Feb 2017  Werkschau der Hochschule Düsseldorf.
2016:
Exhibition  09 Sep 2016 - 29 Oct 2016  Picture this by Herman Hermsen.
2006:
Exhibition  15 Dec 2006 - 11 Mar 2007  Jewellery, light + more… 1979 – present.

Publications      View / hide publications

Book:  The Fascination of Jewellery. 7000 Years of Jewellery at the MAKK. Arnoldsche Art Publishers:  Stuttgart,  2024
Book:  Jewelry of Ideas. The Susan Grant Lewin Collection.. Ilse-Neuman, UrsulaArnoldsche Art Publishers:  New York,  2017
Book:  Herman Hermsen. Picture this. Hermsen, HermanGalerie Spektrum:  Munich,  2016
Book:  Herman Hermsen. Jewellery, Light and More. Maas, Barbara; van Kester, PeterArnoldsche Art Publishers:  Suttgart,  2007
Book:  Winfried Krüger: Schmuck Objekte Zeichnungen. Galerie Spektrum:  Munich,  2006