MAK | Jakob Lena Knebl | Gmundner Keramik

An evening that celebrated the creative power of applied art: the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna and the MAK Art Society (MARS) hosted an artists‘ dinner on 16 May. One of the highlights was the plates on which the food was served: The special edition was designed by Austrian artist Jakob Lena Knebl and realised by Gmundner Keramik.

As part of the exhibition ‘HARD/SOFT. Textiles and Ceramics in Contemporary Art“, around 140 guests from the worlds of art, culture and business enjoyed a varied and inspiring evening. In addition to the MAK collections, the event was intended to support the upcoming major exhibition ‘PECHE POP. Dagobert Peche and his traces in the present’. The dinner itself was characterised by a pronounced wealth of design: for example, the abstract clay objects by ceramic artist Anna Riess encouraged the guests at the tables to continue kneading and shaping them.

Dining was served on an exclusive, custom-made plate service designed by artist Jakob Lena Knebl for the MAK and realised in collaboration with Gmundner Keramik. The result is six different dessert plates with abstract motifs in vibrant shades of green, red and yellow based on Knebl’s oil pastel drawings. The proceeds from the sale of the special edition will go directly to the MAK.

MAK General Director Lilli Hollein also described the dinner, which was accompanied by art performances and ended with Italo disco sounds, as a complete success: ‘We wanted to continue the tradition of artists’ parties with an evening that was conceived and celebrated together with artists and was intended solely for the benefit of art. I would like to thank the participating artists and the numerous guests for the wonderful hours and the lively dialogue.’