Among Friends at Galerie Handwerk

Barbara Schmidt, Head of the Cultural Department at the Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern, introduces the exhibition Among Friends. American and German Jewelry Artists from the Helen Williams Drutt Collection. Through her perspective, she presents the featured artists while shedding light on the historical context and the dynamic, encounter-driven life of American collector Helen Williams Drutt.

For more than forty years, jewelry enthusiast Helen W. Drutt—now 95—has traveled regularly from Philadelphia to Germany, and especially to Munich. In recognition of this long-standing transatlantic relationship, three Munich institutions—the Danner Foundation, Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum, and Galerie Handwerk—have joined forces to dedicate this exhibition to one of the most influential figures in international contemporary jewelry. On view from March 5 to April 11, 2026, at Galerie Handwerk in Munich, the exhibition is a highlighted event of the Munich Schmuck Fair 2026.


This interview was conducted by Anna Wójcik-Korbas and Claudia Lassner from Galerie Handwerk.