In early 2015 I got a call from my long term collaborators Ruthin Craft Centre, asking if I would like to visit the Fritz Maierhofer solo exhibition…at MAK in Vienna. Ruthin had been approached with the prospect of taking the show and needed an eye to see how it might work in their spaces, which I had become very familiar with having worked on several projects since its re-opening in 2008. Well of course I had to think seriously about this for all of about 3 seconds.
A few weeks later I met Fritz and his partner Margit Hart (also a very talented jeweller) at MAK. I was aware of Fritz’s work through reputation and pieces in the V&A collection, (and then through research in readiness for the trip), but I wasn’t quite prepared for the breadth of work in the MAK gallery. I was blown away by his use of materials and techniques and his daring and clever use of scale; from ingenious collections of wearable jewellery to large scale sculptural objects with a clever connection to his more intimately scaled work.
Fritz and Margit were both utterly charming and generous with their time and hospitality during my visit and so it was even more of a joy to work on bringing the exhibition to the Ruthin galleries shortly afterwards. They both made the trip to Wales for the last couple of days of the install and were there for the opening.
We had asked Fritz for a selection of work to sell in the retail gallery and I had of course been drooling over pretty much every piece; which one would I get, could I afford one…the trials and temptations of a curator working with so many amazingly creative people! But when Fritz arrived for the opening event he handed me a package - one of the beautifully designed invitations wrapped around tissue paper. Inside was the amazing piece in the image below - an anodised aluminium brooch as a gift for working on the exhibition. Needless to say I was delighted, humbled and touched in equal measure.
Meeting and developing relationships with artists/makers is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of my work as a curator, often leading to long lasting friendships, and this is no exception. I feel very fortunate to have these opportunities and my world all the richer because of them.
Fritz Maierhofer, anodised aluminium, 75 x 51mm, 2015