Rudolf Heltzel- In precious metal
National Design & Craft Gallery : Kilkenny
2 February - 18 April 2018
Rudolf Heltzel photo: by Roland Paschhoff
Overview
In Ireland, it’s very rare to see a solo exhibition by an individual crafts person. The National Design and Craft Gallery in Kilkenny is hosting an exhibition of 25 neckpieces by the well known goldsmith Rudolf Heltzel. A goldsmith for over six decades, these neckpieces pay tribute to his skill and expertise as a great designer and artist. It is amazing to see a collection of extraordinary jewellery set with quality gemstones. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue with photographs of each of the pieces.
As you walk into the gallery space, the white walls are lit by a large window on each side. Placed throughout the gallery are display cases with an individual neckpiece laid out on an angled glass shelf. This affords plenty of space around each piece and allows you to experience the detail on the back.
In the second part of the gallery, the walls are painted grey. The neckpieces are hung against white boards which are displayed inside glass box frames mounted on the grey walls. The frames are interspersed with three dimensional columns representing the crystalline growth of gemstones. This spacious, calm contemplative environment is perfectly suited to displaying the work.
Rudolf at his exhibition in the National Design & Craft Gallery photo: Séamus Gill
Rudolf is one of those rare artists who has a very recognisable design idiom. He has stuck strongly to his own design principles so that a piece he made many years ago is just a recognisable as a Rudolf Heltzel piece made today. The work on display also pays tribute to a lifetime passionately collecting exceptional quality gemstones from some of the top stone cutters in the world.
In this gallery environment, the jewellery can be looked on as small beautifully composed, abstract compositions. But they are much more than that. It is when they are put on and worn, that’s when they really come to life. Light bounces around the gemstones and throws out colour and sparkle. The polished angles of gold reflect light at every movement of the wearer. These are destined to be treasured heirlooms to be worn for great occasions.
Reflecting the love that owners of a Rudolf Heltzel piece have for their jewellery was clearly seen on the opening night. It was one of the busiest opening nights in the history of the gallery. Thronged by well-wishers and collectors, wearing their “Rudolf Heltzel’s” and keen to meet the great man and thank him. And again, the gallery was packed out when he gave a talk about his work on the following Saturday.
The collections
All the work in the exhibition is made in 18 carat white or yellow gold. The neckpieces are set with magnificent gemstones which are counter balanced with flat planes of gold or heavy gold wires. The work is finished to absolute perfection. Most of the gold is brought to a high polish , but occasionally, subtle textures are used to accentuate areas.
Rudolf uses traditional goldsmithing techniques to create his jewellery. Each piece starts out as heavy gold sheet and bar which is drawn down or stretched out into different thicknesses and cross sections to form his sculptural jewellery.
The neckpieces are divided into three themed collections, Druzy, Rock Crystal and Tourmaline Butterfly. Each collection is named after the stones used in the collection. Rudolf won’t talk about his design process or his influences, he prefers to let the work speak for itself.
Tourmaline Butterfly II photo: by Sarah Eick
18ct yellow gold on gold “cobra round” chain. Pair of tourmaline wings 75.51ct, tourmaline navette Munsteiner- cut 2.04ct, mauve faceted oval tourmaline, sapphire trillant, 4 faceted rubies, 12 natural white diamonds 0.15ct.
The nine neckpieces in the Tourmaline butterfly collection are made with matched pairs of carved tourmalines. Extremely rare stones, Rudolf has collected these over many years. For the Tourmaline Butterfly ll, the large matched tourmalines were sourced from a Parisian jewellers over 30 years ago. They had never been used since they were cut, probably in the 1920’s. Since finding them, Rudolf has continued to seek out and collect these rare matched stones and over the last number of years has turned his collection of stones into the Tourmaline Butterfly collection.
Druzy III photo: Roland Paschhoff
18ct gold Pendant on 18ct gold Choker with carved Black Onyx druzy 41.3ct
The Druzy collection is built around the special quality of druzy stones. Druzy stones have the glittering effect of thousands tiny crystals inside the stone. Many of these stones are cut by Dieter Lorenz, a well known master who specialises in cutting Druzy. In Druzy lll a large carved black onyx druzy, set in a gold frame, is suspended at an angle. Around it is a network of yellow gold square bar and geometric shaped sections of flat sheet to build up an overall composition around the stone.
Rock Crystal VIII photo: Sarah Eick
18ct gold Pendant and handmade chain
Munsteiner-cut quartz rock crystal with chlorite inclusions 152.74ct, 8 marquise natural rare white diamonds 1.6ct
In the Rock Crystal collection, large rock crystals are in the centre of these nine neckpieces. In Rock Crystal Vlll, a large Munsteiner cut quartz crystal with moss like inclusions is set in a yellow gold frame. Bernd Munsteinier is one of the most famous gemstone cutters in the world. Traditionally, gemstones were cut to ideal proportions to show off the gemstone and to reflect as much light as possible. Because gemstones were sold by weight, they were cut to keep as much weight as possible in the stone, but Munsteiner changed this when he invented the fantasy cut; cutting into the gemstone which changes the way light refracts and reflects. The signature style of Munsteiner fantasy cuts can be clearly seen in this magnificent gemstone.
Rudolf Heltzel : Biography
Rudolf was born in Berlin in 1940. At the age of sixteen he received special permission (the normal starting age was eighteen) to attend the Meisterschul für Das Kunsthandwerk (Master School for Arts and Crafts) in Berlin where he took the unusual path of studying both Silversmithing and Jewellery.
Through the college, he was employed by Max Olofs a silversmith in Munich making church silverware and large sculptural silverware. After two years he moved to Stockholm to work with Sigurd Persson, making a collection of candlesticks and candelabras which were exhibited in the Stockholm department store Nordiska Kompaniet. When the silversmithing work was finished , Rudolf then changed to working with Persson as a goldsmith. Since then, he has worked exclusively as a goldsmith.
He returned to his home town of Berlin with the intention of setting up his own studio but found that the city he left had changed completely. The Berlin Wall had been built and the city was isolated. He started working part time caring for children in a day care centre. Then, fortuitously, in 1966, Persson passed on a letter looking for someone to set up the silver workshop in the newly established Kilkenny Design Workshops.
Having experience in both silversmithing and jewellery he was perfect for the role and Rudolf relished the opportunity. He enthusiastically set up the silversmithing and jewellery workshops and started the apprentice programme, training in the workshop under a master four days a week with theoretical and design training in vocational college one day a week. Most of the former apprentices are now well established jewellers today, they include James Mary Kelly, Liam Costigan and Martin Doyle .
This was an Ireland before we joined the EEC with free trade. The role of the Kilkenny Design Workshops was to help improve design and quality in Irish industry. Preparing Irish companies for competition against cheap imports and helping companies export goods that could be sold in Europe. After working enthusiastically for two years, Rudolf realised that it would be impossible to fulfil the function of the Kilkenny Design Workshops for the Irish silversmithing and jewellery trade. The large silversmithing trade was protected by high import duties and focused on church work which was halted by Vatican 11. The jewellery industry concentrated on making for the Irish American market. He left and set up his own business in 1968, fifty years ago.
Rudolf started with a small workshop. He started exporting to a high-end fashion house in London and wholesaling to a few select retailers in Ireland. After two years building up his business, with a group of other makers, he set up a retail shop in the historical Rothe House in Kilkenny selling high quality, handmade, Irish craft.
After eight years, Rudolf had built up a successful wholesale business and a loyal following of private clients so he took the step of opening his own retail shop on the Parade in Kilkenny. It was a great success, so he was able to stop exporting and concentrate on his Irish customers. After three years, in 1981 he moved around the corner to his present location on Patrick Street. He still carries on his practice as an independent designer and maker of jewellery, now he is joined by his son Christopher who is keeping the legacy going.
Rudolf, Eva and Christopher Heltzel at the official opening of the exhibition photo: Dylan Vaughan
Running in the second gallery is the exhibition Bounded + Unlimited an exhibition of jewellery by four contemporary jewellers from Ireland and China. It features Christopher Heltzel, son of Rudolf and Eimear Conyard from Ireland and Hu Jun and Binyu Chen from China.
Séamus Gill
Séamus Gill is a silversmith. He designs and makes silver jewellery and sculptural tabletop silversmithing pieces and commissions. He uses traditional silversmithing skills to hammer shapes out of flat sheet of metal. He works in his studio in The Design Tower in Dublin. For more information, visit his website
National Design & Craft Gallery, Ireland’s centre for contemporary craft and design, is located in Castle Yard, Kilkenny.
OPENING SPEECH by Mary Mullin can be read here
