‘wij zijn allen ruimtereizigers’ Info — 18.3.65, 13 Uhr mez. Da steigt ein Astronaut aus seiner Weltraumkapsel und stürzt in etwas, wofür der Name fehlt, was bisher Universum hieß.Bleibt also zunächst offen, was das ist, das Innerhalb, das Außerhalb. Man spricht von Vakuum, meint aber Luft…
For Jantje Fleischhut the world seems very small. She thinks of her jewellery in terms of the universe. Her objects look like weapons from Star Trek or parts of a galactic prothesis-workshop. Transparant plastic bubbles with strict entrances and windows mounted in silver; objects that remind us of architecture from somewhere else. Because of the specific way she works up the material and shape, one tends to forget the trusted, delicate handwork of a goldsmith. Jewellery is seen as the noblest of crafts and of old has been counted among the applied arts. ‘Applied’ in the sense of melting together functionality and beauty, endlessly redefined. Designers and artists have been drawing from a common spiritual and material supply for a long time already, borrowing subject and object from one another. Depending on the need, a work of art may be usable or a usable object may not be applied usefully under any circumstance. A pull-over by Rosemarie Trockel is still a work of art and Victor and Rolf will hardly expect their 100 kilo dress to be worn to the office and back. Jewellery is neither useful nor is it self-containing. Fleischhut gives her jewels the pseudo-functionality of a usable object and in so doing mocks not only design and autonomous art, but also the autonomy of man. Man and their desires and flaws. Her images are not based on a fixed scheme but on insight: the need for caution in touching each other. Fleischhut creates ingenious, minute objects. Metaphors for recognition and encounter. Ulrike Möntmann