More München

One on of the best shows I saw in Munich was also the last one I went to, which I managed to squeeze in after David Watkins and Wendy Ramshaw’s presentation All About Me at the Pinakothek der Moderne.

Entitled Treasure Hunt, it showcased a range of jewellery, sculpture and furniture works from the KOV studio in the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. As you might expect, I really liked the idea of combining these works into a single exhibition. It’s an idea not without considerable risk, but it was clear that a confident curatorial influence was at work, ensuring that the pieces were of a consistent standard. The furniture works were all executed in a similar, if not the same, unfinished timber material, as were many of the sculptural pieces.

The jewellery works spanned precious and non precious metals, glass, cardboard, coloured pencils, plastic and thread, and exhibited (if I may be permitted to generalise a little) a strong spatial element, as well as an awareness of the body. I’ve managed to find some images here of works from the show. (Of course there is a Klimt02 page also.)

To quote the International Design Museum website, “Although the initials K.O.V. make up the Czech word “metal”, the Studio is the only department of the Academy’s Department of Applied Arts that has no assigned media. In fact, the letters stand for Concept — Objekt — Meaning.” The professor is Eva Eisler, and to give the show it’s full title, is called: Treasure Hunt. Class of Eva Eisler, Prague.

I thought the whole show, small that it was, was really impressive and exciting.  The jewellery works, including two cast glass objects displayed in the charred timber in which they were cast, as well as the ‘tools‘ and much of the metalworking (via here) were really unique and wonderful.