Florian Weichsberger

Jewellery maker

©Mirei Takeuchi

The Earth's materiality

Florian examines a material until he finds an aspect that interests him
Experimenting and material testing is a crucial part of his work
His work can be found in design museums in Munich and the Netherlands

Florian Weichsberger was born and raised in Umbria, Italy. Following his graduation from school, he enrolled at Kaufbeuren-Neugablonz State School for Glass and Jewellery. Florian knew after his technical training that he wanted to pursue a career in jewellery. He was delighted to find a place right away at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich under Otto Künzli. In his work, he explores a material until he finds an aspect that interests him. The way in which Florian sees different materials, such as plastic, ceramics, or jet, often depends on their characteristics or how they have traditionally been used. For example ceramics symbolizes food in day-to-day life and nature, through earth and soil. With his jewellery series, he combines different materials in a way that places the wearer physically in relation to their surroundings. His work was recognized with the Herbert Hofmann Prize in 2017.

Interview

©Mirei Takeuchi

©Mirei Takeuchi

What does “well made” mean to you?: Jewellery that expresses something is well done in my opinion. The feelings it evokes in other individuals cannot be calculated, of course. I always develop a concept for my jewellery series, and I hope that the idea I had when creating the piece will also be understood by the future wearer.
How do you collaborate with galleries?: At the Marzee Gallery in the Netherlands, I participated in a class exhibition during my studies. They still sell my works. Munich's Wittenbrink gallery sometimes exhibits my work despite not specialising in applied arts. I appreciate galleries for their educational mission, network of museums and collectors, and ability to build an artist's reputation.
Why do you like jet stone?: Jet stones are semi-fossils. The material is somewhere between wood and stone. The colour depth of its surface is enhanced by its ability to absorb a lot of light. Jet is often used as mourning jewellery in other cultures. In my latest series Moon, Sun, Earth, I use it in conjunction with iron in brooches that represent the earth.
How often do you make a series?: Approximately once a year, I create a conceptual series of jewellery. Some of my series consist only of brooches or pendants, so they are not necessarily collections. However, the intervals between series can also vary greatly. It always depends on how I get along with the process that I have refined over the years to get from the material to a concept I can then apply to my formal language.

Florian Weichsberger is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1998