21 October 2016

Vienna Insight: StossimHimmel jewelry artists about the universe, time, experiments with metal and the upcycling of found objects

The atelier and shop of the jewelry collective StossImHimmel is named after the location Stoss im Himmel in Vienna. The story behind the address is a legend which means that some parts probably really happened. The story is a lecture about greed and that the wish to own too much without calculating the consequences what it will cost oneself and others can lead into a disaster. Main character in the Stoss im Himmel legend is a rich woman who made a deal with the devil to become the owner of a beautiful dress; she didn't think about the consequences of the deal and when the devil wanted her soul, Saint Barbara rescued her by kicking her out of the burning dress. Stoss im Himmel means translated as much as 'kick to the sky'.

The artists of StossImHimmel stand even in their 20th year since the foundation of the atelier with both feet on earth! The prices of the handcrafted, mainly unique jewelry designs range mostly between 150.- and 300.- Euros. The prices are calculated for costumers who have a similar lifestyle like the women of StossImHimmel. Fashionoffice visited the atelier/shop on occasion of the opening of the 20th anniversary exhibition 'Dauer einer Bewegung' (means 'Duration of Movement'). The pictures are arranged on this page clockwise:

fig. 1st row, image right: The first room of the jewelry atelier StossImHimmel houses the workbenches. Michelle Kraemer works currently about the theme universe with planets carved from very light balsa wood and covered with intergalactic space-like pigments and silver. The collection's name is 'nebula'.

fig. 2nd row, image right: Izabella Petrut works about time. 'Here and Now' is the name of her latest collection. Some of the pieces look like volcanic rock which has just stabilized to solid material after it had melted out of the most inner core of earth.

fig.: 3rd row, image right and left: Caroline Ertl is one of the founding members of StossImHimmel. Her jewelry is from the ones here on this page presented the most accessible; at the image, Caroline Ertl holds an earring made of small silver drops. The earrings with necklace and pendant could be combined with traditional Austrian alps dresses (dirndl) as well as ball gowns. The artist experiments with metals and sculptures the items freely during the process when heating the material. The quasi action-painted metal layers bring lightness to the 'heavy metal' style of the jewelry. Rings in the look of the one on the forefinger are bestsellers.

fig. 2nd row, image left: StossImHimmel co-founder Heike Wanner's items are made of recycled and found objects. There are pendants made of old bathroom tiles found in Croatia or pebbles found on the street. The inclusion of materials which carry a story - whether it's a romantic, personal story or the memory of holidays, is signature for Heike Wanner's jewelry. At the image left behind her lies a ring with a pebble and on top a screw cap; the pebble can be replaced by any other object which carries a story for the wearer.

The exhibition 'Dauer einer Bewegung' ('Duration of Movement') is open until 31 December 2016.

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