Special situations call for special measures. That was evidently the thinking of the administrators at the Municipal Vocational Training Center for Construction and Arts and Crafts on Munich’s Luisenstraße, who—despite the pandemic—selected the winners and honorable mentions in the school’s internal arts and crafts competitions.
The Award Winners
Thus, on December 9, 2020—the last day before the switch to distance learning— the award ceremony for the school’s internal “Holzsteingold” competitions—held by the municipal vocational school for wood carving and the municipal master schools for wood carving, gold and silversmithing, and stonemasonryand stone carving took place behind closed doors.
Consequently, the Steinsaal—the traditional venue for the festivities—remained empty; there was no exhibition, and the accompanying celebration had to be canceled. Principal Robert Predasch was nevertheless pleased that the competitions were at least able to proceed as scheduled and that the celebration will be rescheduled. He viewed the early awards ceremony as a “proper conclusion” to the competition and noted that the level of support was the same as in previous years.
Thus, despite everything, one prize winner from each of the goldsmithing, woodcarving, and stonemasonry/stone carving classes was able to receive prize money of 1,200 euros. Of the total 8,400 euros in prize money, 8,000 euros came from the Danner Foundation for Arts and Crafts, with an additional 400 euros contributed by the support associations for goldsmiths, wood sculptors, and stonemasons.
In the master class during the first year of the Munich Master School for Stonemasonry and Stone Sculpture, the theme was “Bent—Folded—Shaped,” which involved designing a simple, functional object. Philip Schießl, Vasileios Siaravas, and Paul Neumeier were nominated for their works, with Neumeier ultimately receiving the prize. His work, which resembles a slightly battered shipping box with a flame blazing inside, is, according to the jury, “an ecological homage and, at the same time, a stark critique.” It draws attention to the recycling of waste paper and encourages reflection. Paul Neumeier added: “The flame symbolizes the portion that is not recycled.”
In the second-year master class, Johannes Reichenberger, Lukas Kapprell, and Felix Seefried were nominated for their entries on the theme “Cult Cars in Natural Stone.” Johannes Seidl was awarded the prize for his interpretation of a 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, known from the “Fast & Furious” film series. The laudatory speech highlighted the precision in the craftsmanship of the piece and praised the outstanding design of the surface and details. “Unbelievable,” Seidl exclaimed, adding, “I know the movies inside and out.” Someday, he hopes to own a muscle car like that himself—in full size, if possible. Seidl concluded by noting that he considers the competition to be excellent preparation for his masterpiece.
