Kurt Aepli

Kurt Aepli ( born May 14, 1914 in Rapperswil, † 22 December 2002 in Uznach ) was a Swiss silversmith, jewelry and device designers and professional educator.

Life

His training as a silversmith Kurt graduated Aepli at the Zurich School of Design 1934 - 1939th With the war mobilization he served four years active duty. In the workshop Meinrad Burch Korrodi into which he had entered in 1942, he developed as soon Chefentwerfer its own unique language of form, to be this jewelry, especially his sacred devices are still recognizable. In the field of religious art, he coined in Switzerland as pioneers in the second half of the 20th century, at the same time on he held large pieces about the famous church builder Fritz Metzger or the painter Ferdinand Gehr. Not by chance was the culmination of his work in the Church's spirit of optimism before and during the Second Vatican Council, which in the years 1962 - 1965 was held. The economic recovery after the war years was undoubtedly beneficial for the jewelery industry, because as Christoph Trudel took over the company in 1967 by Meinrad Burch, Kurt Aepli had already established such that jeweler Trudel gave him virtually unlimited creative freedom. From 1946 to 1980, Kurt Aepli member of the Swiss Werkbund ( SWB sees itself as a place of debate on design issues). In the thirties he was like so many successful designers this time, influenced by the Zurich school of Concrete. Artists such as Johannes Itten, Max Bill and Richard P. Lohse, but also the Bauhaus movement influenced Kurt Aepli obvious and accompanied his design work for a lifetime.

Work

Both the technical and the creative contribution Aeplis was instrumental to the success of companies Burch Korrodi and Trudel jeweler. Already under Meinrad Burch the almost legendary " Goldschmiedetriumvirat " in which Kurt Aepli ( chief designer ), Martin Bucher ( studio boss) and Berger Bergersen developed in the studio ( enameller ) to subject-specific motion at the same level, ideal understood and interdisciplinary supplemented.

When trying to rewrite Aeplis style, we can speak of a development of modernism, the Bauhaus style and Art Deco. With scientific care Carré and round wire compositions were made ​​of sheet metal, created, which systematically building on the basic geometric shapes. But the study of nature and its creations can be read from the works of his decades-long creative activity out. One of his main ideas was: Nature knows no wrong shapes, colors and sounds. Taking into account the generally very high quality materials, their dynamics have been exhausted maximum. The lines it with limited security and calculus always on the bare essentials, what version is technically the highest standards presented.

Jewelry, often with unusual gemstones and sacred device may have been created under Burch Korrodi and later jeweler Trudel from him. In addition to the design he laid at the silversmith's often even hand.

Although the buying public of enthusiasts and international collectors existed, was hardly known to the public Kurt Aeplis name. His creative work was mentioned for decades only under the name of the workshop Burch Korrodi. Under this prescribed anonymity he has suffered long. However, he has coined gold and silversmiths far beyond the borders of German Switzerland internationally, particularly north of the alpine region with its distinctive designs. He set the standard in the jewelry and equipment design.

Educational activities

1945 Kurt Aepli at the Zurich School of Design, which stood until 1954 under the direction of Johannes Itten, was elected as specialist teachers of goldsmiths, silversmiths, chasers, engravers, Gürtler, gem-setters, jewelry designers of and Poliseussen. All apprentices of these professions from the University Region Zurich were taught by Kurt Aepli in Occupational Studies, gemology through to technical drawing. In addition to the compulsory education known as Aepli worked in addition to the School of Applied Arts in continuing education courses. In these courses to industry members were able to form in the silversmithing techniques, also here the design skills of Kurt Aepli were particularly appreciated by the course participants and sustainably left their mark. In April 1980, his thirty-five years teaching ended at the School of Applied Arts in Zurich.

Exhibition

Swiss National Museum in Zurich: Swiss jewelry in the 20th century

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