Highlights of the Danish Arts Foundation’s Jewellery Collection on view at the museums at Königsplatz
Contemporary art from Denmark meets ancient artefacts in the State Collection of Antiquities at Munich. Exceptional Danish jewellery made between the 1970s and the present interacts directly with ancient art from the Munich collection, from antique jewellery, luxurious silver or bronze vessels to high quality painted pottery.

On display are 100 contemporary pieces of jewellery created by about 50 Danish designers. The thirteen subject areas of the special exhibition are based on the “Works and Days” by the seventh-century BCE Greek author Hesiod: Treasures & Status, Tradition & Innovation, Meetings & Appearance, Form & Function, Valuable & Alternative Materials, Gods & Myths, Body & Movement, Women & Daily Life, Power & Women, Love & War, Yesterday & Today, Symmetry & Rhythm, Dionysos & Ecstasy.

Hesiod’s “Works and Days” tells about the daily lives of the ancient Greeks. Composed as a didactic poem, it forms a practical guide to agriculture for the farmers of the time. The poet also reflects on past mythical and historical ages and takes a sociological look at his own society. The special exhibition takes up those themes. Ancient and contemporary jewellery, on display in the same exhibition, shows how status symbols function, how drinking and physical culture is lived and how innovations concerning recycling as well as new techniques and materials arise. They reveal the framework that religious rituals and everyday activities offer society, in ancient as well as modern times.

The exhibition takes place in cooperation with The Danish Arts Foundation at Copenhagen, as part of the German-Danish Cultural Friendship Year 2020.

A catalogue (German/English) is being published for the exhibition.

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