The Critical Moment

Abstract

Lecture at symposium “More than one?" Tableware – Contemporary positions" (Silber Sommer Galerie 2016) State Museum for Art and Design Nürnberg (24/2/2016) and at the International Craft Fair Munich IHM (25/2/2016) When contextualizing art and design objects, the question of uniqueness versus reproduction is relevant. The number between one and more isn´t exactly defined. It could be two - a pair. It could be five and represent a certain group. It could be thousands. The relation One − Many describes all these terms. What is the significance of a unique object today? Are variations within a group understood as unique as well? Within a group - how is one object related to the others? To which extent does a group reflect a conceptual idea? A pair, two objects perceived together, transport a unique message, compared to the meaning each singular object for itself represents. How do objects communicate with each other and how do artists use this?