During Munich Jewellery Week, outstanding artists and craftspeople are showcased every year at the International Craft Fair in Munich in the special exhibitions “SCHMUCK” and “TALENTE – Masters of the Future”. From among the entries on display, the Munich and Upper Bavaria Chamber of Crafts honours particularly innovative works in the fields of jewellery and craftsmanship.
One of the most prestigious honours this year went to Mira Kim (MFA). She was awarded the Herbert Hofmann Prize, which is regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious awards for contemporary jewellery and is presented annually to three participants in the special exhibition “SCHMUCK”. The exhibition was curated by Sam Tho Duong; and the winners were selected by an international jury comprising Dr Markus Eder (Danner Foundation, Munich), Malte Guttek (Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus, Hanau), Stefano Marchetti (jewellery artist, Padua), Michael Schischke (Institut français Munich) and Friederike Zobel (Pforzheim Jewellery Museum).
In her work, Mira Kim combines the traditional Japanese metalworking technique of Mokume-Gane with precise guilloché engraving in surprising ways. Pieces such as *Dialogue* (brooch) and *Patterns* (ring) are characterised by multi-layered surfaces, a high degree of craftsmanship and a thoughtful approach to structure and ornamentation. Kim completed her Master of Fine Arts at the Edelstein und Schmuck campus in Idar-Oberstein in 2019. Since then, she has taken part in numerous residencies and research stays, during which she has engaged intensively with the historical special techniques of jewellery making and their combination, which has become a central element of her artistic practice.
A graduate from the campus also made a strong impression in the special exhibition “TALENTE – Masters of the Future”: Levan Jishkariani (MFA), now head of the stone workshop on campus, was one of eight recipients to be awarded the TALENTE Prize. The winners were selected by an international jury comprising representatives from universities and institutions in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, including Sara Diaz Rodriguez (Berlin), Prof. Yves Ebnöther (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences), Prof. Katharina Jebsen-Plättner (Faculty of Applied Arts, Schneeberg), Prof. Chequita Nahar (Academy of Fine Arts Maastricht), Markus Rusch (Landshut School of Ceramics), Gisbert Stach (Munich) and Prof. Laura Straßer (Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle).
In his ‘Ruler’ series, Jishkariani combines gemstones with wood and steel in unusual ways. His works are characterised by structural tension, deliberately visible joints, and a play on weight, balance and material contrasts. The starting point for his artistic exploration is social structures and rules, and their influence on the individual. He translates these considerations into wearable objects with bold and powerful expressiveness.
In addition to the special exhibitions, numerous graduates and students from the Gemstone and Jewellery Campus were also represented at IHM this year. The jewellery collective ASTONISH, comprising graduates of the Campus, celebrated its tenth anniversary at the fair. DRIPLINE, a new group of graduates from the classes of 2025 and 2026, also showcased their work at the fair. In addition, many other alumni showcased their work at their own stands at the fair.
With its recent awards and strong presence during Munich Jewellery Week, the Gemstone and Jewellery Campus in Idar-Oberstein once again underlines its international significance as a training centre for innovative and outstanding gemstone and jewellery design.
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