Artist Biography
Wiebke Meurer is an internationally acclaimed German artist and jeweler who transforms everyday objects into extraordinary sculptural jewelry and art pieces. She lives and works near Lake Geneva, with her atelier based in Nyon, where she has been creating since 2002. In addition to her artistic practice, she teaches at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) in the Department of Design, Film, and Art.
She studied jewelry and object design at the Berufskolleg in Pforzheim, the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, and in the studio of Simone ten Hompel in London. In 2002, she completed her Master of Fine Arts at the Sandberg Instituut in Amsterdam, specializing in jewelry, porcelain, and silver tableware.
Wiebke Meurer’s work is exhibited internationally in museums and galleries such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the Victoria & Albert Museum and Saatchi Gallery in London, Gustavsberg Konsthall in Sweden, and Art Genève in Switzerland. Her pieces are part of notable collections including the Cambridge Museum (UK), Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Rotterdam), and Mudac (Lausanne).
Her artistic practice moves between jewelry and sculptural objects. In her sculptural work, she transforms familiar everyday items into poetic forms that question tradition and cultural history. Her jewelry pieces draw inspiration from delicate natural structures and are crafted from precious metals and gemstones, challenging conventional ideas of beauty, function, and value.
Artist in Residence, porcelain, l’imprimerie, Lausanne, CH
2000-2002
MFA(Master of fine Arts), Sandberg Instituut Amsterdam, NL
2001-2002
Exchange Program, Haute ecole d’arts appliqués Geneva, CH
1996-2000
Degree in Professional Education in Art and Design, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, NL
1993-1996
Staatlich geprüfte Designerin Schmuck und Gerät, Berufskolleg fur Schmuck und Gerät, Pforzheim,D
Naturally, Grassi Museum, Naturally, Leipzig,D
Schloss Molsdorf, solo, Erfurt, D
Taste, London, GB
2015
Galerie Kiss the Design, Lausanne,CH
Schloss Molsdorf, Full House, Erfurt, D
:Art Geneve, Taste, Geneva, CH
Flow Galerie, London, GB
Clothworthy Arts Centre , Antrim, NI
2014
Taste, Blondeau & Cie Geneva, CH
2013
Neues Schloss Schleissheim, Mündchen,D
2012
Kilkenny Art Festival,I
Meister der Moderne, IHM Muenchen, D
2010
The Saatchi Gallery, London, GB
2009
Europ’art’09,Geneva,CH, solo
2008
IHM, München, D
Gustavbergs Konsthall, Gustavsberg, SE
2007
SOFA Museum, New York, USA
2006
Stedelijk Museum CS, Amsterdam,NL
2004
Stedelijk Museum CS, Amsterdam,NL
V&A, London, GB
Tendence, Frankfurt, D
Kunst Rai, Amsterdam, NL
2003
Kunst Rai, Amsterdam, NL
Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam, NL
2002
BNO, Amsterdam, NL
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire,Geneva, CH
Nederlandsche Bank, Amsterdam, NL
2001
Talente, Munich, D
Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam, NL
Teaching, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), Luzern, CH
2015
Workshop, CEPV. Vevey; CH
2013
Workshop, CEPV. Vevey; CH
2010
Lecture, l’imprimerie, Lausanne; CH
2009
Workshop, HEAD, Geneva, CH
2008
Lecture,Schmucksymposium Zimmerhof, Bad Rappenau, D
Lebende Werkstaetten, Sonderschau Exempla, IHM Muenchen, D
2007
Workshop/lecture, Konstfack, Stockholm, Se
2004
Rietfeld naar de Beurs, Beurs van Berlagen Amsterdam, NL
2002
‘ A Piece of Cake’, Alessi, Milan, I
1999
Shop Window, Bijenkorf Amsterdam, NL
Rietfeld naar de Beurs, Beurs van Berlagen Amsterdam, NL
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, NL
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, NL
The Marzee Collection, Nijmegen, NL
Mudac, Lausanne, CH
Boudoir, N01, CH
2011
The New Artisans, Olivier Dupon, Thames&Hudsen, GB
2008
Tischgespräch, Kunsthandwerk&Design, D
Vouge, D
ELLE decoration, D
Das Ornament, Kunsthadwerk&design, D
A Redevous of art and Design, GZ art&design, D
Kunsthandwerk, Merkur, D
2007
Forms with Fantasy, Stichting Kunstboek, B
2006
Metal Guru, Telegraph magazine, GB
De Volkskrant, NL
day to day, Craft, Magazine for contemporary craft, GB
2005
Vouge, D
2004
ELLE wonen, NL
ELLE Decoration, D
Metallic Yellow, Bulletin SM 06
2000
Schmuckszene Amsterdam, S. Sagherian, Gz, D
ITEMS Special,NL
Schmuckgestaltung in Pforzheim, Cornelia Holzach, Kunsthandwerk&Design, D
2001
Design als ding in décor, NRC Handelsblad, NL
Artist Statement
I apply my technical knowledge to create those fragile artworks that you hardly dare to touch, much less use.
My work is a dialogue between tradition and transformation, where familiar forms are reimagined to challenge perceptions and evoke reflection. In my sculptural pieces, I deconstruct everyday objects, altering their scale, material, and function to create fragile artworks that transcend utility. These pseudo-functional objects serve as a commentary on cultural histories and the evolution of societal norms.
In my jewelry collections, I draw inspiration from the delicate intricacies of nature. Each piece is meticulously handcrafted in my Swiss atelier, employing precious metals and gemstones to explore the boundaries of jewelry as both adornment and art. I strive to challenge traditional notions of functionality and value, inviting the wearer to engage with the piece beyond its aesthetic appeal.
Through my creations, I aim to blur the lines between art, craft, and design, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the stories and histories embedded within the objects that surround us.
About her Objects and Jewellery
Wiebke Meurer’s work unfolds in two distinct but interconnected fields: jewellery as applied art, and sculptural objects as a form of artistic expression.
Her jewellery and objects are handcrafted with precision, care, and exceptional technical skill. She designs and creates high-quality pieces using precious materials such as sterling silver, 18-karat gold, mother-of-pearl, as well as precious and semi-precious stones. Each piece is either a one-of-a-kind creation or produced in very limited editions.
Sculptural Objects
In her sculptural work, Wiebke Meurer transforms familiar ideas and everyday objects into poetic and unconventional shapes. Through precious, often pseudo-functional objects, she reflects on traditional uses and the cultural histories connected to them.
Although the well-known principle “form follows function” does not apply to her work—or is consciously suspended—it remains present as a quiet counterpoint. Meurer often engages with utensils from the world of dining and table culture. However, her interest lies less in general history and more in specific objects that carry traditions, rituals, or personal stories. By reinterpreting them, she comments on how their functions and meanings have changed over time.
In her creations, the distinction between inside and outside dissolves. The functional purpose disappears, leaving behind transparent forms where only ornament remains—no longer serving utility, but beauty alone.
