Invitation to a press conference on "Ode to Craftsmanship"

Invitation to a press conference on "Ode to Craftsmanship"

From 24 November 2023 to 7 April 2024, the Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD) will be presenting the special exhibition “Ode to Craftsmanship” in the Japanisches Palais (Japanese Palace). In ten film installations, German photographer Donata Wenders portrays Saxon tradespeople and their businesses, some of which are in danger of disappearing. Her richly faceted films, along with accompanying objects, re-imagine the artisan in everyday life and society.

The films are like exquisite still lifes that have learned to move. From the craft of the cobbler to blueprinting and artificial flower production, the films let the viewer be a part of intimate workshop situations. They make it feel as if the blacksmith's anvil is only an arm's length away, while the woolly, felted sheepskins, crowded so close together for the weaving at the beginning of the film, are almost tangible. In consultation with the artisans, products, raw materials and intermediate stages of production were selected for visitors to interact with, touch or try out during the showing of the films. Initially only captured on the screen, the objects in the artisans’ workshops can be experienced in the exhibition, creating a Gesamtkunstwerk, an artisanal symphony which encourages participation and explores themes such as sustainability, tradition, innovation and societal impact.

The exhibition also invites visitors to engage in artisanal workshops, open studios, and discussion groups. The “Fair Fashion Factory” and the “Media Lab” provide opportunities for hands-on creative activities under expert guidance - from sewing your own garments to 3D printing. The linking of culinary and cultural treasures from different traditions also plays a central role in “BROT. Beyond Crust and Crumb”. The workshop will be run by the design duo chmara.rosinke, who in collaboration with local bakeries skilfully combine cultural techniques and design. The “Pop-Up Bakery”, which was created as an artistic research project at SKD’s Design Campus LAB, premiered at the Design Biennale in London in June 2023. As a special addition to the exhibition, a “writing workshop” allows artists of all generations to pen short greetings on postcards or longer prose on handmade stationery, which can be mailed directly from the museum.

Donata Wenders’ installations acknowledge craftsmanship as something special and worthy of protection whilst the objects and do-it-yourself workshops make it physically tangible for visitors. The "Ode to Craftsmanship" ultimately becomes a door opener for both artisans and audience.