Günter Wermekes
jewellery and sculptures* 1955 born in Kierspe, Germany
1975 training as goldsmith with Professor Friedrich Becker in Düsseldorf
1978 became personal assistant and workshop manager of Friedrich Becker
1986 began working as a designer
1990 opened his own workshop; developed jewellery collection “Stainless Steel and Brilliant”
1992-93 Lectureship at the Pforzheim University, Pforzheim School of Design
Since 2004 - increased activity as a freelance sculptor.
2004 Design and entire conception of the “Alter Schulplatz” well system, Kierspe
2006 Implementation of “Skulptur S” in Kierspe and Attendorn
Since 1978 - participation in competitions.
Works in private and public collections
Sammlung Alice u. Louis Koch, Die Neue Sammlung, München
Design jobs for the following firms
BMW, Hagri, Henrich + Denzel, Niessing, Rodenstock, Tecnolumen, Ventura
Awards
Designpreis NRW, Platinum Design of the Year, Auszeichnung für hohe Designqualität, Designzentrum NRW
With the classic jewellery materials of gold, silver and platinum, the basic value lies initially in pure materials. This is not the case with Günter Wermekes’ pieces of jewellery. The value lies elsewhere in this genre.
He concentrates on a material that would at best be estimated in terms of its utility value: stainless steel. He nevertheless works this material with the utmost care and dedication and finally tops it off with the most beautiful thing known to us: the brilliant. Suddenly, the beholder also sees stainless steel on a par with the most precious metals of all time. Günter Wermekes consistently concentrates his creations on archaically classical shapes, such as straight lines and circles. In this manner, he creates precious rarities through shape and craftsmanship alone, the value of which lies above all in one single aspect: the design.
Günter Wermekes about his work:
“I would like to create something timeless with a material of our time”
Clear, reduced, architectonic.
Günter Wermekes’ sculptures exist—by virtue of their colorfulness, their weight, their lucidity, but also because of the space that surrounds them and without which they could not be. In this play of void and volume, massive bodies of rusting steel float on delicate rods outlining a transparent space that vibrates from the beholder’s movement.
Website
http://www.wermekes.de/
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