Christianne Weber-Stober

Since 1965, the Association for Goldsmiths’ Art and the German Goldsmiths’ House Hanau have been organising the Silver Triennial International to promote contemporary silversmithing. The 20th competition demonstrates the variety of works at a high level: 121 silversmiths from 21 countries submitted hollow- and flatware or free-formed works. The focus is not only on technical and artistic aspects; a large number of the entries also have a socio-critical and contemporary historical background. An expert jury was again assembled this year: Dirk Allgaier, head of Arnoldsche Art Publishers, Stuttgart; Dr. Claudia Banz, curator for design at the Kunstgewerbemuseum Berlin; and JaKyung Shin, silversmith and assistant professor at Seoul National University, Korea, selected 67 impressive silver works. Text in English and German.

Ebbe Weiss-Weingart (b. 1923) is one of the pioneers of international studio jewellery. For over seventy years she has enriched the contemporary jewellery scene with her diverse works. Her inception in the 1950s and 1960s with structured surfaces and galvanised sculptured pieces will never be forgotten. Alongside figurative motifs - in particular, her portrayals of humans and animals - she also created pieces with an ironic and quirky touch. In her last phase of creativity, which began in the 1990s, she had a penchant for working with jewellery made from Chinese jade reliefs. Around 200 illustrations of these jewellery objects documents her award-winning work, and along with previously unpublished photographic material, expands on her hitherto unknown accomplishments. Includes, in full, her speech on the occasion of receiving the Gesellschaft fur Goldschmiedekunst's Ring of Honour, which gives an insight into Ebbe Weiss-Weingart's philosophy and working processes.

The publication for the 18th Silver Triennial documents the results of the international competition for current trends in the silver scene announced by the Gesellschaft fur Goldschmiedekunst e. V. and the Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau. Renowned silversmiths and metal designers who are active across the globe as well as up-and-coming artists present their ideas for pitchers, bowls, tumblers, cutlery, candelabras and accessories. A top-class jury Paul Derrez, Galerie Ra, Amsterdam; Dr Wolfgang Schepers, retired director of the Museum August Kestner, Hanover; and Bruno Sievering-Tornow, master silver- and goldsmith, and specialist teacher at the Staatliche Zeichenakademie Hanau selects the best of the best from 2016.