The PF Revisited Berlin Scholarship celebrated its 15th anniversary with a special evening at the EMMA Kreativzentrum in Pforzheim on June 4, 2025. As part of the event, this year's winner Hellena Hueck was introduced and officially bid farewell to the 2025 scholarship year. The award was symbolically handed over by the 2024 scholarship holder, Lingjie Wang, who joined the event digitally from Shanghai. The scholarship is awarded by Pforzheim University, Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin and the company C. HAFNER and is part of the "Manufactured Jewelry Design" project of the Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum. Its aim is to preserve traditional jewelry techniques and develop them further in a contemporary way.

From Pforzheim to Berlin: the 2025 scholarship holder

Hellena Hueck is a freelance jewelry designer and lives in Berlin. The trained goldsmith first studied at Pforzheim University (B.A. in Jewelry and Objects of Everyday Culture, 2017) and graduated in 2020 with a Master's degree in Jewellery and Metal from the Royal College of Art in London. Her work has been shown internationally, including in the UK, Germany and Austria. In her Berlin studio, she combines precision craftsmanship with narrative depth and humor.

The jury was particularly impressed by the award winner's creative approach: "Hellena Hueck combines forms, materials and techniques with a joie de vivre that is reflected in both the formal language and the way she wears them. Particularly exciting is the playful approach to techniques that is evident in Hueck's work."

In her planned project, Hueck is developing wearable, abstracted fantasy jewelry boxes inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin's essay "The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction". These objects are intended to convey stories, peppered with secret notes, insect motifs and a pinch of humor. In doing so, she wants to examine the history of traditional jewelry boxes as well as unconventional methods of storing things. "I'm really looking forward to working with a combination of digital and traditional techniques, incorporating my research around jewelry boxes. My goal is to create bold and alternative works that open up a non-hierarchical dialog between jewelry, object and personal anecdotes," explains Hueck.

A scholarship for innovation in craftsmanship

The PF Revisited Berlin scholarship is aimed at alumni of the jewelry programs at Pforzheim University and former Designers in Residence at the EMMA Kreativzentrum. Alumni of the partner university Konstfack Stockholm were also able to apply for the 15th anniversary. "We share a similar approach to material-based design and the experimental use of techniques with Konstfack," explains Christine Lüdeke, Professor in the Department of Jewelry.

The aim of PF Revisited Berlin is to combine and pass on the creative potential of traditional jewelry techniques such as guilloché, enameling or hollow stamping with contemporary processes. Digital processes such as 3D printing in precious metal are also integrated. In 2015, the German UNESCO Commission added it to the nationwide list of intangible cultural heritage in Germany as an example of good practice.

The scholarship holder was selected by an expert jury consisting of Cornelie Holzach (former director of the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim), Ingrid Römmich-Werner (former project manager of PF Revisited), Lukas Grewenig (Head of Design & Development, egf Pforzheim), Andrea Grimm (Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin) and Johanna Galefske (former scholarship holder).

As a scholarship holder, Hueck will spend four months working in the jewelry production department of the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin with access to the historical machines and techniques on site as well as professional support from the museum team. The scholarship also includes a preparatory CAD and 3D printing workshop in Pforzheim, accompanied by experts from Pforzheim University and C. HAFNER. Financially, the scholarship includes monthly support of 750 euros, a precious metal voucher for 500 euros from C. HAFNER and an accommodation allowance from the Museum of Technology.

A special event to mark the anniversary

At the celebratory event, Lingjie Wang, the 2024 scholarship holder, presented her work - live from Shanghai, where she currently lives and works. Her pieces of jewelry were exhibited on site and could be viewed by the guests. During her four-month stay at the German Museum of Technology, Wang had worked intensively on embossing, sand casting and 3D printing in precious metal. Wang reported on her time at the Technikmuseum and the works that were created there.

Birgitta Hafner (C. HAFNER) introduced the scholarship in a welcoming speech. Andrea Grimm explained the jury's choice and praised the commitment of all those involved and the quality of the applications. The evening was moderated by Christine Lüdeke. A highlight was the presence of three "Old Masters" – Walter Grässle, Werner Wochele and Klaus Deuchler – whose wealth of experience contributes significantly to the continued existence of traditional techniques.