The objects and hollowware from the collections of the Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau (German Goldsmiths’ House) and the Gesellschaft für Goldschmiedekunst e.V. (Association for Goldsmiths’ Art) show approaches to the art of silversmithing dating from the 1980s. The exhibition aims to encourage visitors to appreciate the quality of the craftsmanship and artistic design of the works presented here.
The works on display vary between functional utensils and aesthetic objects. The former include cutlery, jugs and trays, for example, which reinterpret table culture in terms of design and material. The latter have no specific purpose. What both have in common is the exploration of sculptural questions inherent in three-dimensional objects.
The difference between goldsmithing and silversmithing lies less in the material and more in the techniques used and the resulting works. Goldsmiths primarily produce jewelry, while silversmiths produce hollowware and objects. Material-related naming plays a subordinate role today; both goldsmiths and silversmiths work with a wide variety of materials.