Elisabeth Holder

Material: Teaching

Exposing students to new ways of accessing material has always been important to the author. Contrary to the customary practice of mastering material – learned as part of their craft and design professional training – students were to experience the difference between the mastery and dialogical approaches to material at least once in their studies. This involved working with materials unrelated to jewellery that could be experienced with all the senses, as well as counterpoint exercises that took making to the extreme. Seminars conducted outdoors in nature were also an essential part of the teaching strategies, the idea being that the experiences, knowledge, and insights gained would sensitize students to the experience of this material as a counterpart and equal partner.

Encountering the Elements

Taking place on a forest site, this course consisted of simple exercises, guided by the author, designed to help students physically experience different aspects of the elements, as well as sensitize them to the actual experience of encountering. As part of the process, each of the students selected an element they were drawn to, and which possessed a specific facet that demanded expression. As a result, they all found an object-like, pictorial, installational, or performative form of expression suitable for their concern that clearly differed from the usual works developed according to conventional principles of craft and art.

Encountering the Elements
1 / 4   Luftgewand. Anja Assmann, 2004
Encountering the Elements
2 / 4   Erdhöhle. Gruppenexperiment, 2004
Encountering the Elements
3 / 4   Feuerzauber. Renate Pukis, 2004
Encountering the Elements
4 / 4   Wassermusik. Andreas Lehmann, 2004

The Mastery and the Dialogical Approach to Material

Sensitized by various exercises and experiments, students discovered new approaches to working dialogically with material. Using a material of their own choice, they deepened their understanding of this new approach and illustrated it in one or more pieces of jewellery.

“The material hits its limits: The New emerges where the destruction begins.” Laura Alvarado
The Mastery and the Dialogical Approach to Material
1 / 5   EVA. Material experiments, Laura Alvarado, 2009
Rolling, folding, and heating took the material to the limits of its resilience. These experiments led to a way of handling the material that vacillated between mastery and dialogue.
The Mastery and the Dialogical Approach to Material
2 / 5   EVA. Brooches, Laura Alvarado, 2009
The Mastery and the Dialogical Approach to Material
3 / 5   Silikon.Formen. Anne-May Abel, 2009
The student experimented with silicone in all imaginable colours. Inspired by the abundance of multiform shapes, she created her silicone figures through associative empathy.
The Mastery and the Dialogical Approach to Material
4 / 5   Silikon.Gestalten. Anne-May Abel, 2009
The Mastery and the Dialogical Approach to Material
5 / 5   Silikon.Gestalten. Anne-May Abel, 2009

Steel: From Material to Object

The occasion for this course was the steel jewellery design competition "Stahlschmuckpreis 2007" held by the Colloquium North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Unlike other courses, the material in this case was specified. Students were to explore and experience steel in all its diversity and qualities associated with each form of appearance. The aim was to enable students to overcome initial biases and restrictive views, thereby allowing them to accept steel as an equal counterpart material and find an object-like expression in a dialogically guided design process.

 

“Steel is hard, heavy, cold, technical, inflexible, obstinate. Nothing positive comes to mind. The unpleasant properties predominate. In the confrontation with steel as a material, its incredible versatility unfolds.” Eva Hahn
Steel: From Material to Object
1 / 4   Körper aus Stahl. Eva Hahn, 2007
“Körper aus Stahl” (Bodies of Steel) explores the behaviour of coiled steel rods when deformed by bending.
Steel: From Material to Object
2 / 4  Körper aus Stahl. Necklace, Eva Hahn, 2007
Steel: From Material to Object
3 / 4   Poesie des Alltags. Wall object, Matthias Grotevent, 2007
Steel: From Material to Object
4 / 4   Poesie des Alltags. Wall object, Detail, Matthias Grotevent, 2007