TALENTE – Meister der Zukunft 2019

In 2019, TALENTEmünchen presented works by 103 young designers from 30 countries in 11 different crafts. This year, works by participants from China, Estonia, Iran, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Romania and Ukraine were also included.

TALENTEmünchen showcased innovative, imaginative, extraordinary and very different works, particularly in the areas of glass, ceramics and jewellery, as well as an unusually large number of interesting textiles and fashion designs. This year, this focus perfectly matched the theme of the neighboring EXEMPLAmünchen, which dealt with “Textiles – Fabric of the Future”.

Current trends

Familiar materials and natural raw materials were used in unusual ways this year. The focus was particularly on working with recycled materials – not as pure recycling, but as creative alienation. Colourfulness, surfaces and specific properties of the materials were used to achieve exciting aesthetic effects.

Another theme was the combination of new digital technologies and traditional craftsmanship. A reflected examination of their respective characteristics resulted in unusual works with an innovative, appealing appearance.

At the same time, a return to traditional techniques and high-quality craftsmanship could be observed, which are being transferred to the present and adapted to modern needs. Other topics included remembrance, nature, the environment, but also social issues such as Alzheimer’s disease and the position of women in different societies and religions.

From wearable fashion to sculptural or deconstructive designs: In the field of textiles, the spectrum ranged from tapestries and textile sculptures to woven works and innovative fabric designs. Traditional techniques were combined with new technologies and unconventional material combinations to create surprising visual and tactile effects.

The jewellery sector was once again strongly represented. The selected works show an impressive variety: recycled plastics, found objects, wood, concrete, feathers, quartz and metal were artistically processed. This resulted in surfaces and forms of an often poetic character that reveal the beauty of the seemingly insignificant and worthless.

The high number of group works and installations was particularly striking this year. They invited visitors to experience and compare variations of basic forms, surface treatments and material effects.

Catalogue

You can download the catalogues for the special show “TALENTEmünchen – Meister der Zukunft” here or order them online on the website of the Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern.

Winners of the “TALENTE – Meister der Zukunft” prize 2019

Lukas Kinder, Germany

Materials and technology

The jury appreciated Lukas Kinder’s toolkit for light painting for its user-friendly approach, its orientation towards working conditions and its considered solution to the task. Attachments allow flexibility and a wealth of effects. The high quality of the self-made tool was also praised. The consideration of emotionality and spontaneity was pointed out as a suggestion for further development of the idea.

Benno Bruksch, Germany

Materials and technology

Benno Brucksch’s project “Erde – Wachs – Stift” (“Earth – Wax – Pencil”) impressed the jury with its study of nature, its reference to and engagement with nature. The jury recalled how important the study of nature was for artists in the past, especially in the field of drawing. At the same time, the jury was impressed by the respect for the earth and the insertion of this material into a new poetic-functional context that takes local conditions into account.

Koutaro Uranaka and Takahiro Yamamoto, Japan

Materials and technology

The fragile-looking tea caddies impress with their combination of Japanese traditions and modern technology, the interweaving of digital and analogue. The craftsmanship lends authenticity and individuality to the works, which make use of the media of modern mass production. At the same time, the works show a commitment to decoration and surface design.

Morgane Beyrend, France

Mixed Media

Morgane Beyrend’s work deals with Alzheimer’s disease and old age. The loss of control associated with the disease is illustrated in the increasing loss of clear form. The motif of the Russian peg doll symbolises the restriction to the self. The increasing dissolution of form and the gradation of the materials translate the fragility of old age. The project may serve as a comfort to the family of those affected and help them to better understand the illness.

Manami Aoki, Japan

Jewellery

The brooches impress with their sensitivity and poetry, their respect for the material and their handling of proportions. They translate the process of combing into the material of cypress wood. The haptic qualities and illusionistic approaches were also praised.

Marion Delarue, France

Jewellery

Marion Delarue’s shoulder brooches made of feathers impressed the jury with their organization systems and sophistication. They emphasize the shoulders and thus trigger military associations. At the same time, the splendor of the feathers, which are treated in a delicate, respectful manner, refers to the courtship behavior of birds and thus also to jewellery as a means of communication and self-expression.

Elwy Schutten, Netherlands

Stone

Elwy Schutten’s works fascinated the jury because of their exploration of material qualities and their examination of the relationship between belonging to a group and individuality. Her works are based on modules, on clear forms. They are characterised by delicacy, fragility, the subtle combination of forms and colours. At the same time, their combinability gives them a playful character.

Jamila Wallentin, France

Textile

Jamila Wallentin’s bowl objects are characterised by the circular movement and the originality of the material. She creates three-dimensional forms from the flat textile. By layering them on top of each other, she creates poetic works in a seemingly meditative process.

Winner of the Bavarian State Prize 2019

Martin Rolletschek, Germany

Sideboard

Master carpenter Martin Rolletschek from Dachau produced a sideboard that is characterised by strict geometry and symmetry. As the wooden frame has a very small cross-section, the body appears to float. The mauve-colored linoleum forms an attractive contrast with the light ash. With its minimalist design, unusual color scheme and choice of materials, this is an elegant, understated piece of contemporary furniture. A small secret compartment is also cleverly concealed.