BETTINA MEYER macht SCHMUCK
 Several years ago the German jewellery artist Bettina Meyer saw in Hamburg large posters announcing: "Beckmann spielt Cello" (Beckmann plays cello), advertising charity concerts on benefit of homeless people. Bettina realized, that this popular name sounds serious when reads in context of so simple sentence. Since she admits herself that her name of Mayer is quite popular - such a German Kowalski - she decided to adapt this simple construction for straight description of her own creative activity. So the sentence BETTINA MEYER macht SCHMUCK - BETTINA MEYER makes JEWELLERY serves as title under which Bettina Meyer runs her gallery and workshop, appears on her visit cards and internet site, creating an identity for artist, her gallery and workshop. People passing by just see, that Bettina Meyer makes jewellery in her workshop by the gallery, creates it under simple sounding name, not having much to do with sophisticated, overblown words used by many other studios and galleries dealing with art, including the art of goldsmithing.
 The Bettina Meyer Gallery, situated at Friedbergstrasse 21, Charlottenburg - beautifull, old district of Berlin has been already presenting several group exhibitions including exhibitions by foreign artists. The list is available at www.bettinameyer.de. This shows deeper meaning and sense of this modest sentence: BETTINA MEYER macht SCHMUCK.
At the Bettina's circles people talk more and more on Polish jewellery. Bettina thinks, that the average German audience still associate the term "Polish jewellery" with our "specialite" which is silver with amber, or with wide offer of wholesellers offering jewellery from Poland which are placed, to quote Joachim Sokolski, within the frames of "Secure modernity".
The colorfull experiences of the first contact with Poland didn't prevent Bettina Meyer from giving a try of founding out, what's going on in our artistic goldsmithing world. The STFZ presence at Inhorgenta fairs and presentation in internet, specially at www.stfz.art.pl and the STFZ Informative Bulletin has helped much this process. As result Bettina has chosen several Polish authors and begun an email contact with them. The choice of these artists - to begin from members of diluvial today the UFO group, ending on representatives of much younger generation and entirely different artistic orientation proves, that Bettina Meyer chosed the group of Polish artists to present also her own views on the art of jewellery, views of a person who simply "macht Schmuck" - creates jewellery without overuse of big words.
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| Bettina Meyer collects works at the Dubiel gallery |
On 21st and 22nd May 2005 Bettina Meyer has met chosen artists in Warszawa in order to make personal contact and collect works for the exhibition. On Saturday, May 21st, 2005 from 3 p.m. most of invited artists brought their works to the meeting at the Dubiel Gallery. Maryla Dubiel served drinks, Bettina brought from Berlin fantastic cake made by herself. In the afternoon at the Maryla nice house near Warszawa the dinner was served: the Polish "chlodnik" - cold soup, Pomeranian beef rolls, buckwheat with cappers, salade a'la Dubiel. On May 22nd 2005 Bettina collected works from other invited artists at her Warszawa headquarter. Full list of artists invited consists of : Bogumil Bytomski, Maryla Maria Dubiel, Pawel Kaczynski, Zofia and Witold Kozubscy, Krzysztof Piotrowski, Jacek A. Rochacki, Bohdan Jan Suchodolski, Radoslaw Szwed, Antek Zaremski, Marcin Zaremski, Jakub Zeligowski.
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| Dinner at Maryla Dubiel |
The press release materials plus 1600 invitations were sent to medias, distributed to many institutions like: Polish Embassy in Berlin, Polish German Associations - like Deutsch Polnische Gesellschaft Berlin e.V., etc.
On May 26th 2005 at 18 p.m. in the Bettina Meyer Gallery by Friedbergstrasse 21, Charlottenburg, 14057 Berlin there's been the opening of the exhibition "The Best of - Wspolczesna polska bizuteria artystyczna - Neues Schmuckdesign aus Polen".
Present guests from Germany, Poland and Denmark (on the beginning ca. 60 persons) has been making contacts with polish artists present at the opening: Krzysztof Piotrowski and author of this report. There's been many representatives of circles, institutions and organizations active at the field of Polish German cooperation.
After foreword by host and organizer Bettina Meyer, the speaches were delivered by: dr. Zbigniew Kostecki of the Polish Embassy in Berlin, and Jacek A. Rochacki, representing the STFZ. Long talks and discussions on cultural exchange, on art, and these of more social character continued long in the night. Guests enjoyed drinks served by our host and Bromberg patee baked in cake - pierogi style - by one of silent, modest Polish contributors. Dr. Zbigniew Kostecki declared to help maintaining contacts for STFZ, dr. Krzysztof Zielnica, delivering on the next day the lecture on "Humboldt and Poland" within the Polish German year 2005/06 informed in most interesting way on Polish German cooperation. I apologize for not being able to indicate all names of persons involved in process of coopearation and exchange of different organizations and on different levels, who were present at this opening.
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| discussions, talks, chats... |
The French association of artistic goldsmithing Corpus declared once, that it's members work in most precious material, which are interhuman relation. I can't help recalling this statement when thinking on how Bettina Meyer makes JEWELLERY. I sincerely believe that exhibition of works by Bettina Meyer in Poland - for example at the Bielak Gallery, Dubiel Gallery and as adjoyning presentation by the Legnica Revue would be the right continuation of the process launched by our Friend - the Artist, who simply describes her activity as: BETTINA MEYER macht SCHMUCK.
Jacek A. Rochacki, May 29th, 2005
ARTISTS:
- Bogumil Bytomski
- Maryla Dubiel
- Pawel Kaczynski
- Zofia i Witold Kozubski
- Krzysztof Piotrowski
- Jacek A. Rochacki
- Jan Suchodolski
- Radoslaw Szwed
- Antek Zaremski
- Marcin Zaremski
- Jakub Zeligowski.
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| front window |
Marcin Zaremski i Kuba Zeligowski
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Radoslaw Szwed |
Jacek A. Rochacki |
Krzysztof Piotrowski |
Pawel Kaczynski,
Bogumil Bytomski |
Antek Zaremski |
Maryla Maria Dubiel |
Marcin Zaremski |
Bogumil Bytomski,
Jan Suchodolski |
Dear Friends:
The history of art of goldsmithing is full of secrets. We could say: it is the history of secrets, and history of discovering solutions. The fundamental person in European goldsmithing after Christ - Teophilus Presbyter with his Diversarum Artium Schedula - which is the very first manual workshop book in history of European goldsmithing - can serve as perfect example, because most probably he has completed his writing in Hildesheim, and at the same time, in Padderborn, the monk - master goldsmith named Roger von Helmarshausen, known as Ruggerus, has created some signed works, surviving till our time. Some scholars believe, that Teophilus and Ruggerus are the same person, but the problem remains unanswered. We only know for sure that their activities were conducted on German land.
The German Goldschmiedekunst has been of great positive influence on development of goldsmithing of many European countries. Beside scripture by Teophilus mentioned above, let us remember, that till today in workshop' language in Scandinavian countries and Poland, not to mention other countries, most of terms came from German goldsmithing terminology. They are not considered germanisms, because they are incorporated into mentioned languages for many centuries. In contemporary time the unquestionable place number one providing goldsmithing enlightenment, which radiates all over the world is the school in Pforzheim. The Pforzheim Schmuckmuseum is the leading institution of this kind in macro scale of the glob. One of the best contemporary goldsmithing manuals is written by professor Erhard Brepohl. Germany again. And it is difficult to understand, why this so important, positive influence is not fully recognized by foreign goldsmiths and speccialists - historians, linguists, critics of art, etc. Looks to me like another secret.
Many unanswered questions, undiscovered secrets lead to stereotypes. Negative stereotypes are disturbing life and art. To fight against stereotypes based on secrets we use knowledge of facts. Sometime facts are not enough. Then, to help the brains, comes the heart. To find the key in heart is often the best way of clearing the secret.
Bettina, you have found the key to the secret of der Polnische Goldschmiedekunst.
Danke schön. Dziekuje bardzo.
Jacek A. Rochacki
Speech for opening exhibition
"The Best of - Współczesna polska biżuteria artystyczna - Neues Schmuckdesign aus Polen"
at Bettina Meyer Gallery, Berlin, 26 May 2005
More info: www.bettinameyer.de
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