Under the overarching theme ‘Who has “made" here – and under what conditions?’, ‘Schaffensland’ uses original artefacts, spatial displays and multimedia installations to tell the story of the people, professions and developments that have shaped the federal state. At the same time, the exhibition focuses on research, innovation and education as key factors in the region’s contemporary development.
In the ‘Research’ exhibition area, the Gemstone and Jewellery Campus in Idar-Oberstein is presented as a specialised higher education centre. Since its foundation in 1986, the campus has combined artistic training with experimental research into gemstones. The Idar-Oberstein Campus is the only higher education institution in the world that specialises in contemporary gemstone design within the field of jewellery design at both Bachelor’s and Master’s level. Representing the campus, works by two graduates of the Master’s programme and one graduate of the Bachelor’s programme are on display:
The ‘Ô’ necklace by Felicia Mülbaier(MFA 2019) was created as part of her final project, ‘Absence’. In this work, she explores absence as a state of in-between and examines how it can be experienced through traces, material and perception. The lapis lazuli pendant, polished to an almost paper-thin thickness, makes the fragility of the material immediately apparent.
The brooch ‘At the moment – purple’ by Pei Wu (MFA 2020)Pei Wu(MFA 2020) forms part of her final-year collection ‘Parent, Past Life, Teddy Bear’. In this collection, the artist combines personal memories with the experiences of others, placing individual stories within a social context. Colourful synthetic gemstones, handcrafted glass and gold wire pierce the surface of a Jesmonite body, creating a fascinating interplay of different materials.
Also featured is a work by Helena Renner (BFA 2024)entitled ‘Onus’. The artist replaces the supportive cup of a bra with countless strands of threaded rhodochrosite beads. The flesh-coloured strands symbolise the physical weight of a breast whilst also addressing the mental burden imposed by societal beauty ideals and expectations placed on the female body. The work forms part of her final collection, ‘My Body, the Bodies of Others’.
The three works on display serve as prime examples of the artistic diversity found at the Edelstein und Schmuck campus. At the same time, they demonstrate the wide range of ways in which stone can be used in contemporary jewellery art – as a medium for personal memories, social issues and experimental material research.
The permanent exhibition ‘Schaffensland’ will be on display from 14 August 2026 at the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress Cultural Centre in Koblenz. Further information can be found here.
Further information on the work of the three graduates can be found here: Felicia Mülbaier, Pei Wu and Helena Renner.
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