Kunsthonig
Semester project and exhibition, April 3rd–13th, 1997, Deutsches Bienenmuseum Weimar, Ilmstr. 3, and in the glass box space at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Steubenstr. 8
Being in existence for more than 100 years, the German Bee Museum is one of Weimar's lesser known cultural attractions. However, it is worth while visiting the historical building at the southern end of the Ilm park (formerly called »The Golden Swan«, an inn frequented by Bauhaus folks). Today it houses a unique collection of old life size figurative sculptures created for bee keeping. This inspiring location gave the idea for an interdisciplinary art and design project focussing on bees, honey, combs and wax, bringing together teachers and students from different study programs and disciplines.
Organized by Herbert Wentscher, the interdisciplinary project was called »Kunsthonig« (artficial honey/art honey) and took place in winter semester 1996–1997. Exploring the thematic field, theoretical and practical assignments were elaborated. Students experimented with different forms and strategies in art and design that refer to the site, the collection and to the history of the Bee Museum as well as scientific aspects or everyday experience. The bee not only served as a starting point for approaching an examplary matter to study. Moreover, the confrontation with questions raised by art history, design and film theory, sociology, philosophy, mythology, cognitive science and, last not least, bee keeping and honey harvesting showed a great potential and motivation for art and design work at the intersection of culture and nature..
The works issueing from the project studies were subsequently presented to the public in a show at the Bee Museum and at the university revealing a remarkable diversity. Explorative curiosity and joyful creativity marked the individual works and mirrored in the use of new and old media, methods and materials: the exhibition contained paintings, drawings, photographs, design objects, installations, video tapes, comics and computer animations.
An exhibition catalogue with numerous texts (in German) and pictures was produced by the students with Christian Upmeier and published by Universitäts-Verlag Weimar (edition of 1000, ISBN 3-86068-061-7)
Participating students
Marco Joshat • Maria Vill • Mei-Yu Liu • Otto Frey • Jana Rogge • Jens Kloppmann • Hajoe Moderegger • Julia Witzell • Friederike von Bistram • Felix Conradt • Harry Sachs • Franz Höfner • Tim Schober • Micha Böhler • Philipp Hirsch • Kai-Roman Schöttle • Niels Heidenreich • Matthias Weidmann • Hendrik Wendler • Peter Jap Lim • Christine Nossol • Jana Preußler • Sascha Jeck • Sandra Hünger • Eva Frisch • Michael Eckardt • Manuel Fabritz • Patrick Feucht • Steffen Röder • Oliver Schenk • Thomas Müller • Isabel Alcalà Aigner
Participating staff
Prof. Liz Bachuber (studio art) • Prof. Heiko Bartels (product design) • Prof. Norbert Hinterberger (studio art) • Prof. Hermann Stamm (visual communication) • Götz Greiner (visual communication) • Prof. Herbert Wentscher (visual communication) • Prof. Siegfried Gronert (theory and history of product design) • Prof. Karl Schawelka (theory and history of art) • Anne Hoormann (theory and history of art) • Britta Neitzel (media science)