Element: Metal

Metals are literally the building blocks of our planet. Of the 118 known chemical elements, more than 70 are metals, occurring naturally within mineral deposits across the Earth’s crust. Their physical and chemical properties have made them indispensable to the development of tools, structures, and technologies over millennia. From the Copper Age onwards, metals have defined entire epochs of human civilisation, symbolising power, wealth, and innovation across cultures and time periods.

At the centre of Element: Metal are newly commissioned works by fifteen contemporary designers and artists. Selected for their exceptional manual skill, conceptual clarity, and responsible engagement with material processes, their works explore metal as a medium shaped by labour, technique, and meaning. Historical metal objects from the castle’s collection—from silver tableware and ornamental pieces to weapons and architectural fittings—offer insight into the material culture of past centuries. Together, these works trace stories of cultural exchange, technical innovation, craftsmanship, and shifting power dynamics across East and West.

Elliott Hundley, Junko Mori, Max Lamb, Sabine Marcelis, Philippe Malouin, Altynai Osmo, Ildar Wafin, Mantas Lesauskas, Hannah Kuhlmann, Soft Baroque, Jordi Albers, Klemens Hegen, Lea Liebl, Luise Lutz & Michel Strümpf, Elena Riener, Lorenzo Zerbini