Sublime Conversation Pressetext EN
HERING BERLIN –
PRESS RELEASE
Sublime Conversation
New edition by designer Stefanie Hering
In collaboration with Schwarzburger Werkstätten
Tableware with a twist – Sublime Conversation
Berlin, May 2019. What makes Stefanie Hering's work truly special and inimitable is the perfection of form, which results from playing, experimenting, and trying things out, as well as from Hering's absolute knowledge of porcelain as a material. In collaboration with the Schwarzburger Werkstätten manufactory, Stefanie Hering has now designed a limited edition of porcelain "plateaus" that reinterpret historical models, while at the same time being highly functional: Sublime Conversation.
Stefanie Hering is breaking new artistic ground with her one-of-a-kind series, uncoupling porcelain "plateaus" from the Schwarzburger Werkstätten's historical repertoire from their classical forms and translating them into a striking contemporary design language.
The edition includes six individual pieces made of porcelain; known as "plateaus", in the history of European manufactories these dishes were used both for presenting food at court and for bearing groups of figurines and were considered Conversational Pieces. They take up the original idea of table decorations as aesthetically pleasing, inspiring porcelain objects that give guests who don't know each other something to talk about. The title of Hering's edition also plays on this interactive nature of the pieces: Sublime Conversation.
In developing the design, Stefanie Hering intensively studied the historical and cultural context of the Schwarzburger Werkstätten. The edition brings together a small selection of the manufactory's most important plateau forms and reflects the multifaceted designs of the respective periods. Stefanie Hering worked closely with the master craftspeople at the Schwarzburger Werkstätten during the creative process. The series of initially six entirely hand-crafted plateaus made of white bisque porcelain, each of which bears an individual design, was thus created over several months of intensive collaboration. "I deliberately maintained the character of each individual piece, respecting its origin, taking away a few details and adding a few new ones," says Stefanie Hering.
Taking the historical designs as a starting point, Hering's adaptation has turned the plateaus into stand-alone porcelain sculptures. But, according to Stefanie Hering, they can and should also be used to serve bread, cheese, fruit, or amuse-bouche in Michelin-starred restaurants and for private table settings, inspiring conversation and enjoyment at the table – just like their historical models.
Hering Berlin is presenting the edition for the first time as part of an event in the P98 showroom on Potsdamer Straße in Berlin, on 27 May, starting at 7 pm.
The motto of the evening? Pure enjoyment – including food presentations on the new plateau series as well as on bar and sideboard objects from well-known design collections by Stefanie Hering. On the evening, the Schwarzburger Werkstätten will be opening their archives and presenting the precious painting pattern of the group of figures of a wedding party from 18xyy, which consists of several hundred individual parts, as well as the specially made white version, on one of Stefanie Hering's plateaus. In collaboration with Riedel, perfectly paired wines will be served in the matching manufactory glasses with gourmet cheese, served straight from the plateaus.
contact: berlin@heringberlin.com
Hering Berlin is one of the few authentic porcelain manufactories in the world. For founder, designer, and owner Stefanie Hering, "manu factum" means excellent craftsmanship in all stages of production, carried out by hand by masters of their trade in Germany. Stefanie Hering - herself a trained porcelain master craftswoman - carefully selects the craftspeople and works with them until they understand the core and essence of Stefanie Hering's multiple, international award-winning designs. What makes Stefanie Hering's work truly special and inimitable are the flawless shapes, which result from playing, experimenting, and trying things out, as well as from absolute knowledge of porcelain as a material: Stefanie Hering explores the limits of what is feasible and often goes beyond them in developing her collections (such as with special porcelain recipes, glazes, or firing techniques), which makes her a unique visionary on the porcelain market. Her design is innovative and style-defining; the shapes are self-contained and independent of seasonal fashions, yet exhibit a characteristic and recognisable understanding of form.
The result are the finest porcelain objects that look artistic while at the same time being highly functional and have long since found their way into international design collections and exhibition spaces, into the luxury restaurants and leading hotels, and, above all, onto the tables of design connoisseurs all over the world.