Every year, since 1992, the WCC-Europe has carefully reviewed the merits of numerous artistic competitions and exhibitions held throughout Europe. After a rigorous selection process, the WCC-Europe honours one such competition and exhibition of international importance yearly, by awarding a prize to one participant in the chosen event.

For the WCC-Europe Award 2009 the WCC-Europe Board has decided to choose “EUNIQUE arts & crafts 2009” awarding the prize to one participant at the fair.

 

The criteria of the WCC-Europe award are : fine original craftsmanship, choice of appropriate material for the object, originality and adherence to the theme of given exhibition. The award that the WCC-Europe gives is an artistic rather than a monetary one, as it is a price symbolic of the artistic excellence of craftsmanship, on an international level : a work made by the winner of the year before (Award Winner 2008: Geoffrey Mann, UK). In addition the Award Winner has the possibility to exhibit at the next “Maison&Objet” fair in Paris. This possibility
is generously sponsored by WCC-Europe National Entity “Ateliers d’Art de France (AAF)”.

 

The Jury selecting the award winner had been appointed by WCC-Europe.

 

Jury Members of WCC-Europe Award in 2009:

Pablo Blanco, Spain, Advisor to the Board of WCC-Europe, Director of Oficio y Arte

Theres Eberhard, Switzerland, Director of formforum.ch

Julia Kunovska, Slovakia, Board Member of WCC-Europe, President of WCC-Slovakia

Anne Leclercq, Belgium, Vice-President of WCC-Europe, President of WCC-BF

Peter Schmitt M.A., Germany, former Deputy Director of Badisches Landesmuseum, Board Member of Bayerischer Kunstgewerbe-Verein 

Britta Wirtz, Germany, Speaker of the Management Board of Karlsruher Messe- und Kongress-GmbH

Dieter Zühlsdorff, Germany, Publisher, Arnoldsche Art Publishers

 

List of the last 9 candidates in discussion to receive the Award

(alphabetical order):

Friedemann Bühler, Wood  Germany

Ulrich Czerny, Leather   Germany

Francine Delmotte, Glass  Belgium

Antje Dienstbir, Silver   Germany

Enric Majoral, Jewellery   Spain

Heike Roesner, Paper   Germany

Helena Schepens, Silver  Belgium

Henriette Tomasi, Jewellery  Germany

Anne Van Hoey, Ceramics  Belgium

 

Statement of the Jury:
The award is given to the maker of an object which has accompanied mankind throughout all cultural eras – and which continues to accompany the individual throughout life.

 

The award winner took the object from pure functionality through to a conceptual piece of art. The alliance of craftsmanship and intellectual process originated from a personal challenge and represents contemporary applied art on the highest level.

 

The winner of the 2009 Award is:
The spoonsmith Antje Dienstbir, Germany

……………………………………………………

Anne Leclercq, President of the Jury

June 5, 2009