Craft Fair Munich

Jing Chen, China, Lacquer layers, varnish

About 1000 exhibitors will be exhibiting at IHM in Munich, the leading trade fair for craft trades, from March 8th to 14th at the Messegelände München. The entire spectrum of craftsmanship, such as carpenters, painters, furnace builders, window builders, confectioners, tailor makers will be represented as well as glass, ceramic, jewelry and other designers and artisans. The entire range of craftsmanship is extensively covered with highlights such as the special show “Schmuck” or “Talents”.

Special “Talents” Show

105 young designers from 32 different nations, and working in 14 different crafts, will be showcasing their artisanal skills and creative talents at Munich’s International Crafts Fair in March 2017. Many of the pieces reveal their designers’ endeavors to responsibly use resources and crafting techniques, reports Dr. Michaela Braesel. She organizes this special show, which is managed by Wolfgang Lösche on behalf of the Association for the Promotion of Crafts affiliated to the Chamber of Crafts of Munich and Upper Bavaria. “Many projects also testify to the close relation between crafts and design, and bear witness to the artists’ increasing interest in traditional crafting techniques,” comments Braesel. The ceramics genre is characterized by its broad diversity, and seems to be enjoying revived popularity. It includes “poetic creations, as well as monumental sculptural, or more functional pieces.” The spectrum in the metalworking genre ranges from knives, locks and delicate vessels all the way through to the results of material studies, and large sculptural pieces.

Seohee Park, South Korea, bottle vases

The furniture to be presented at the Talents show is functional, unobtrusive and exquisitely crafted. But the exhibits will also include a 3D-printed stool, as well as highly imaginative and playfully ironic creations. The technology category is also multifaceted, including magnetic lamps, innovative sinks, crystals growing on textiles, textiles reacting to moisture, as well as an expandable tent. What can be observed overall is that quite a few young designers are trying to make their mark with freely created art objects. This is absolutely legitimate, but we may ask ourselves whether this might not be at the expense of craftsmanship, or whether the special Talents show is the right place for these pieces. The Talents Awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, 11 March 2017 in Hall B1.