Matthias Wagner K - Böcker

The term ‘craftsmanship’ is associated with individuality, uniqueness, decorative potential, artistic quality, attention to material and to process. But what does craftsmanship mean today? This exhibition catalogue of nearly 600 pages explores the meaning of craftsmanship in the context of the outstanding collection of the Museum Angewandte Kunst (Frankfurt, Germany) in a monumental survey of 700 items dating from 1945 to the present. Scale reproductions of plates, furniture, cutlery, jewellery and vases highlight their surprising variety of form. In their essays, the ten authors take diverse approaches to the broad terrain of craftsmanship: from the relationship between East Asia and Western ceramics, via the handicrafts of the Romantic period, to the adventure that is arts and crafts today. The title plays on the perceived parallel between the ability of the cactus to survive and thrive in adverse conditions, and the future of the hand-made object in an industrial world.Text in German.

The term ‘craftsmanship’ is associated with individuality, uniqueness, decorative potential, artistic quality, attention to material and to process. But what does craftsmanship mean today? This exhibition catalogue of nearly 600 pages explores the meaning of craftsmanship in the context of the outstanding collection of the Museum Angewandte Kunst (Frankfurt, Germany) in a monumental survey of 700 items dating from 1945 to the present. Scale reproductions of plates, furniture, cutlery, jewellery and vases highlight their surprising variety of form. In their essays, the ten authors take diverse approaches to the broad terrain of craftsmanship: from the relationship between East Asia and Western ceramics, via the handicrafts of the Romantic period, to the adventure that is arts and crafts today. The title plays on the perceived parallel between the ability of the cactus to survive and thrive in adverse conditions, and the future of the hand-made object in an industrial world.

With the theme Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life, Frankfurt RheinMain holds the title of World Design Capital® 2026. Our motto "Let us design how we want to live" is an invitation to actively participate in shaping our living spaces and our democracy. Design has the power to shape collective processes, develop inclusive solutions and bring about social change. Ten guest authors address the ten fields of action of "Design for Democracy": Construction & Housing, Consumption, Culture & Media, Education, Health, Industry, Mobility, Public Space, Sport, Work.Text in English and German.

Design models are an integral part of the design process, as prototypes and providers of ideas for those products that are later launched on the market as serial and mass goods. However, working with models is an interdisciplinary undertaking: The book reflects the design model as the basis for future concepts, as a collector’s item in a museum and in its actual function as a planning and work tool for designers and model builders.Text in English and German.