kahla kreativ 2018

The onion pattern, a classic in blue and white. Actually, this pattern tells a long story about cross cultural misunderstandings and it has seen countless variations all over the world. It found its way to Germany around 1740. Originally from China the blue floral drawings which featured pomegranates instead of onions were unfamiliar in Saxony and where reinterpreted and changed by the german porcelain painters. Nowadays for Germans the onion pattern feels like a part of their own culture. We kind of adopted it. Because of human interaction and communication, culture changes all the time and every day, in subtle ways. When you have a closer look, this is very visible in our tableware not only the patterns but also the shapes. The table is where all of this comes together.

“Tasting Tomorrow” - The slogan of the Kahla Kreativ Workshop 2018. For me a chance to continue with the tradition of crossing cultures. Fracturing the assumed german onion pattern, putting it back together in a new way, maybe even in an arabian star pattern or combining the classic shapes of Kahla Coffee cups with Tajine inspired shapes and new modern plates.