ART AND DESIGN IN DIALOGUE WITH THE PAST – INTERPRETED BY KRISTINA KANAAN

During the Lichtenfels Weaving Culture Festival, artist Kristina Kanaan will present her works on the theme "Art and Design in Dialogue with the Past." In a sensitive artistic exploration, she combines archaeological finds from the Lichtenfels Archive of the Future with innovative 3D printing and contemporary design.
Idea and conception: Kristina Kanaan, weaving by Cathi Cyperrek and Tessa Asche.

I found the idea of ​​placing finds and objects from the past in a new light to be an inspiring challenge. With an experimental yet playful approach, I place them on the ground floor in contexts where the well-thought-out and the intuitive meet. The basement contains further exhibits from my oeuvre that were not created within the context of ARCHEOART.

The exhibition takes place in a special location – a central trading center since the Middle Ages, which the Munich architect Peter Heimerl has brought into focus with his architectural work: the Archive of the Future. For me, this connection between history and contemporary design unites what art and design are at their core – drawing on the past and intuition to make timelessness visible.

Inspired by the archaeological excavations on site and with the support of Michael Jandejsek, I have partly freely interpreted and reinterpreted the finds. This creates a vibrant connection between historical traces and creative design. The empowering and poetic legacy of my parents also resonates in this exhibition. Both of Hungarian origin – my mother an ethnologist, my father a poet – gave me roots and inspiration that continue to influence my work today.

My special thanks go to everyone involved: the team at the Archive of the Future, including curator Christel Meyer and archaeologist Michael Jandejsek; the teams led by Prof. Stark (Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Upper Franconia Cooperative Technology Transfer Center: Digital Intelligence in Lichtenfels), the CREAPOLIS makerspace (Jan und Dustyn), the MACHBAR future workshop (Matthias Hofmann, Johannes Zeck, and Johannes Hajer), and the Youth Center (JuZ). I would also like to thank the wickerwork designers Tessa Asche and Cathi Cyperrek, the artist Roberta Bridda, Thomas Meyer (Classic Concept recording studio), Andreas Dreitz,Susanne Mohnkorn (Denkmal an Schmuck) and, last but not least, the Lindner Porcelain Manufactory.

I am delighted to present my work as part of the Flechtkultur Festival in this important building in my new adopted home of Lichtenfels.

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS

During the construction of the new "Archive of the Future" building at Marktplatz 2 in Lichtenfels in 2019, archaeological excavations were carried out on the building site. West and east of the preserved medieval cellar, a complex layering of soil deposits was revealed, extending down to the bedrock. This excavation, in effect, opened an "archive of the past," providing many new insights into the origins of the settlement and the later development of the town of Lichtenfels.

The topographical features of the market square—its location on the flood-free edge of the Main river terrace, its proximity to the two major trade routes from Bamberg to Leipzig and along the Main to Coburg, and the strategic vantage point of Knopsberg hill—provided ideal conditions for settlement.

Prehistoric pottery fragments found in a cultural layer clearly demonstrate early settlement activity in the market square area. The archaeological finds further indicate continuous settlement from the 5th/6th century, spanning the Early and High Middle Ages, culminating in the transformation of the market town into the city of Lichtenfels under the rule of the Counts of Andechs-Meran in the first half of the 13th century. The preserved cellar dates from this period and is likely the remnant of an old residential tower. It continued to be used for centuries and is now integrated into the new "Archive of the Future" building. It serves as a bridge between the archive of the past and the archive of the future. This connection between past and future is also reflected in the fact that selected archaeological artifacts were 3D scanned and printed, making them tangible and accessible. Furthermore, metal artifacts such as a key, coins, and a bronze bell were restored for the "Archive of the Future." These artifacts form the basis for Kristina Kanaan's artistic interpretation, allowing the past to engage in dialogue with art and design.

Michael Jandejsek M.A., ReVe – Archaeological Consulting Firm Bamberg – Munich