Monday, April 28, 2014

Passion, Craftsmanship and Technology

"Forbidden Fruit" by Artist in Residence Chris Antemann currently at MEISSEN® ArtCAMPUS - what an amazing pulling force to learn more about one of the most amazing porcelain manufacturers in the world.

MEISSEN® - in operation since 1710 and famous for their blue swords

Can such a company compete in an era where robotics, digital technology and productivity is setting the pace and everywhere you hear the slogan, "Faster, cheaper, better - sell sell sell!"

Yes it can. It's driver being the PASSION of its people, who as we followed through the vast production areas across the historical buildings, as well as the quite new show rooms were more than open to share their insights in personal conversations. 

Part of "Forbidden Fruit" in the making
Seen at close distance how delicately fine drawings are put onto the porcelain let's one appreciate the craftsmanship that is necessary to fulfill such exquisite quality. Passion, patience and deep knowledge paired together making the necessary mold. It was not a daily offered show room visit but a genuine insight into the production almost a normal working conditions at a Saturday - one of two yearly Open Days the Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur MEISSEN® is offering to the interested public [next one is October 18, 2014 - don't miss when you are in the region]. 

What seemed to start like a 1-2 hour visit to a company turned out to become a day-long engagement and learning about one of the most amazing cultures of craftsmanship just a mere 25 km away from hightech center Dresden. Close to the end of the
Toscana - by Monika Zeinar
day the conversation with one of the artists, Monika Zeinar, who is very passionate about flowers made clear that passionate people don't stop where their daily (routine) work ends, but excel beyond. Her exhibition at Hafenstraße e.V. (open from 5pm, except Tuesday) a socio-cultural center on the right-bank of the river on flowers, and landscapes inspired to not only plan to come back for the upcoming Open Day in October but learn more about the history, and current paths of the PEOPLE of MEISSEN®.


Delft - by Monika Zeinar