Hiawatha Seiffert
| 1990–1994 | Trained as an industrial mechanic in Wuppertal, Germany |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Obtained his Master Metalworker certificate |
| 2004 | Completed a further training course as “Gestalter im Handwerk” (Craft Designer) |
| 2006–2010 | Studied at Hildesheim’s University of Applied Sciences and Arts, graduated with a B.A. in design and metal design |
| 2008–2009 | Foreign exchange scholarship to study at Vienna’s University of Applied Arts |
| Since 2010 | Has been studying at the Institut für künstlerische Keramik und Glas, University of Applied Sciences, to graduate with a Master of Fine Arts in the liberal arts, ceramics and glass |
The basic material for Hiawatha Seiffert’s bowl objects are the chains of bicycles, motorcycles or machines. These chains are combined in an exciting manner by means of forging and welding, which also contributes to their spatial dynamics. The rough surface structure of Seiffert’s pieces is due to the industrial technology and elementary forging techniques involved. The result is an unusual ornamentation with a special charm. Like the paintings of the Art Informel artists, this ornamentation always changes in appearance according to the mood of the light and the atmosphere in the room. “Playing with the material’s properties and taking them to the limits is the most important aspect when I create these pieces,” Seiffert comments. He experimented with Damascus steel for a long time before he started giving bicycle and motorcycle chains a second lease on life by transforming them into small or large vessel objects. In addition to winning several awards, Hiawatha Seiffert’s creations have been included in the collections of Hamburg’s Museum of Arts and Crafts as well as in Munich’s Pinakothek der Moderne and “Neue Sammlung” international design museum.
Photos: Hiawatha Seiffert. Portrait photo: Chamber of Crafts, Hanover.