Bernd Munsteiner
Bernd Munsteiner
Bernd Munsteiner was the first contemporary artist to go off in search of the aura of the crystal. For more than forty years now, he has been turning transparent stones in particular into images, objets d’art and sculptures. They open up the magical landscapes inside the crystal to the viewer, extend his inner and outer visual areas into projection surfaces of the psychical.
Through his work, Munsteiner links precious stone sculpture to the artistic debates of the 20th century without denying the archaic layers in the relationship of mankind to stone and precious stones in particular. By that very act, Munsteiner’s precious stone sculptures elude a representation culture oriented towards performative eventfulness as well as reception in passing. On the other hand, they project into our transient lifetime as monumental symbols of the eternal – in spite of their relatively small spatial volume.
Curriculum Vitae
Katalanischer Kunstpreis 2017
1943 Born in Moerschied near Idar-Oberstein;
1957-1960 Trained as a precious stone cutter with Viktor Munsteiner, completed Journeyman exam;
1962-1966 Studied with Prof. Schollmayer and Prof. Ullrich at the school for design, Pforzheim;
1966 completed state examination with title as designer of precious stones and jewelry;
1973 Atelier in Stipshausen near Idar-Oberstein. Member of various national German trad and visual art organizations, concerned with the advancement, promotion and support of contemporary art, material and form;
member of “The Guild of Contemporary American Jewelry Design”;
Member of “International Jewelry Design Guild Inc.”
Honours and Awards
Großer Katalanischer Kunstpreis für Bernd Munsteiner
2001 Design Prize Rhineland-Palatinate; 1999 Contemporary Design Group, Award, Hall of Fame, Las Vegas, USA; 1997 “Context-Cut” Honorable mention for greatest Design Quality, Design Center Nordrhein Westphalia;
1996 Honorary Life Member, The American Gem Trade Association Inc.;
1992 First Prize, Prix Arctica, Kemi Art Museum; Finland;
1989 Third Prize in the German Jewelry and Precious Stone design competition; Idar-Oberstein;
1987 First Prize in the German Jewelry and Precious Stone design competition, Idar-Oberstein;
1984 First and Second prize in the German Jewelry and Precious Stone design competition, Idar-Oberstein;
1983 Honorary membership granted by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, London;
1981 Gold and Bronze Medals, Zlatarska Razstave Celjy, Yugoslavia;
1981 First Prize in the “Architecture and Small Sculpture” artist competition;
1981 Third prize in the German Jewelry and and Precious Stone design Competition, Idar-Oberstein;
1980 State prize and Honorable Mention;
1976 Honorable Mention in the German Jewelry and Precious Stone design Competition, Idar-Oberstein;
1974 State Prize Rhineland-Palatinate;
1974 Prize given for ourstanding German craftsmanship;
1972 Fourth prize and honorable mention in the German Jewelry and Precious Stone design comeptition, Idar-Oberstein;
1970 Honorable Mention in the German Jewelry and Precious Stone design competition, Idar-Oberstein;
1969 Gold Medal, Craft fair in Munich;
1968 First prize in the promotional competition, sponsored by Rhineland-Palatinate.