KAHLA kreativ
The non-profit Günther Raithel Foundation - Educational Initiative KAHLA kreativ sees itself as providing creative momentum for young talent. The foundation is dedicated to the advancement of education, culture, science and research related to porcelain and similar materials. Its work focuses on the "KAHLA kreativ" project, which promotes young ceramists, designers, artists and students. In workshops, creative talents have the opportunity to explore new ways of porcelain production and porcelain design whereby updating this cultural skill through innovative approaches.
Board of Directors:
Günther Raithel, Founder
Rositta Raithel
Holger Raithel
KAHLA kreativ 2018
Under the motto TASTING TOMORROW, the workshop, initiated by the Günther Raithel Foundation and hosted with the support of sponsors, inspired the participants to experiment with porcelain while exploring the topic of food. In light of the upcoming 100th Bauhaus anniversary in 2019, the idea was to establish connections to the ground-breaking work done at this institution in the subject area at the crossroads of art and craftsmanship.
"Porcelain and food have an almost symbiotic relationship: the former serves as a vessel, stage or inspiration for the latter; and their textures, development process and processing methods, and finally their transformation through heat or fire are similar.
Tasting Tomorrow, the 7th International Porcelain Workshop KAHLA kreativ, aims to be a platform for the experimental work with porcelain in the context of exploring food. One year before the Bauhaus celebrates its 100th anniversary, the workshop seeks to develop new ways of linking cooking and eating to work and life and the objects it requires – just like it was done at this institution." – Prof. Barbara Schmidt
Selected works will be shown to a larger audience in the Bauhaus year 2019. The results of the 7th International Porcelain Workshop are going on the road and will be on display in several museums:
18th January – 31st March 2019
Porzellanikon Selb
13th April – 19th May 2019
Art Foundation Saxony-Anhalt, Halle
28th May – 27th October 2019
Belvedere Castle & Park, Weimar
Auréline Caltagirone (France), Mieke Cuppen (The Netherlands), Carmen Dehning (Germany), Laura Görs (Germany), Anna Kantanen (Finland), Aneta Koutná (Germany/Czech Republic), Raili Keiv (Estonia), Xin Zhe Luo (Germany/China), Antje Pesel (Germany), Jonathan Radetz (Germany), Birgit Severin (Germany), Maurice Eric Zacher (Germany)
"The in-depth exploration of ceramic materials by the applicants can be understood as a counter-trend to the increasing complexity of our digitised everyday life", says Wiebke Lang, editor-in-chief of the trade magazine designreport. "The high quality of the submissions demonstrates that young designers and artists are well aware that a contemporary design of traditional areas of life - such as the food culture - will continue to significantly influence our quality of life in the future."
Andrin Willi, editor-in-chief of marmite, Zurich, the magazine for food and drink, emphasised both the high quality of the submitted works and also the fact that many applicants had already explored the topic to a great extent in advance. "Eating is pop", he says and adds that these days top chefs may regard the creation of customised table top series for their restaurants almost as a matter of course. "When a new dish is created, the presentation plays a more important role today than ever before", says the food journalist, because the photos of these dishes, which are distributed by the guests via social media instantly and worldwide, are the new business cards of the restaurant industry.
KAHLA kreativ Forum
After four weeks of artistic and innovative creativity, the results of the 7th International Porcelain Workshop KAHLA kreativ were showcased on July 6, 2018 at a forum that took place in the industrial setting of the production facilities at KAHLA/Thüringen Porzellan GmbH. In front of a high-profile audience from the worlds of culture, design, business, politics and media, a panel of experts discussed current trends in food culture, the potential future direction of the development of taste and food and what the dining culture of tomorrow might look like.
Jury
The jury included:
(from left to right)
Wiebke Lang (DE), editor-in-chief of designreport, Frankfurt / Main
Wilhelm Siemen (DE), director of the Porzellanikon State Museum of Porcelain, Selb
Dr. Sibylle Hoiman (DE), curator at Bauhaus Archive / Museum of Design Berlin
Andrin Willi (CH), editor-in-chief of marmite, the magazine for food and drink, Zurich
Prof. Barbara Schmidt (DE), designer at KAHLA/Thüringen Porzellan GmbH
Host Günther Raithel (DE), Founder and Chairman Günther Raithel Foundation, Kahla
Partner
The 7th International Porcelain Workshop KAHLA kreativ was supported by the Free State of Thuringia, the Kunststiftung Sachsen-Anhalt, the Porzellanikon in Selb, the Thüringer Tourismus GmbH, the Sparkasse Jena-Saale-Holzland, Bauhaus 100 and Naber Küchen.
The support of these partners enables the Günther Raithel Foundation to provide a cross-cultural stage for artists and designers.
additional Missions
In addition, the foundation organises contests, such as the KAHLA Clip Award 2012 short film contest.
Besides exhibitions, it also organises and supports scientific symposiums and other educational events. In addition, the foundation awards research grants and foreign exchange scholarships to further the advancement of young designers.
Another focus is the scientific examination of the history of Thuringian porcelain, in particular porcelain from KAHLA.
Championing Modernisation
The foundation owes its name to Günther Raithel who re-founded KAHLA/Thüringen Porzellan GmbH in 1994. As "VEB Feinkeramik", the company was the centre of the national porcelain industry in the GDR. Shortly after the reunification, it was privatised by the Treuhand trustee company, but filed for bankruptcy already two years later. Raithel accomplished a fresh start for the company through the consistent modernisation of production, product range and marketing. Today KAHLA, under the management of Raithel's son Holger, is one of Germany's most successful porcelain manufacturers.