NEW PATHS IN DESIGN AND FURNITURE MAKING. FROM CRAFTSMANSHIP TO INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION.

Special exhibition from 29.09.2019 to 02.02.2020

Whether it's a sideboard, wardrobe or bed, industrially manufactured furniture has become an integral part of the interior design world. However, hardly any furniture lovers know the exciting and eventful history of this type of furniture and its manufacture. The special exhibition "Raumwunder: Neue Wege in Design und Möbelbau; von Handwerklicher Arbeitsweise zu industrialisierten Fertigung" at the rauch Museum shed light on the subject and traced the development of furniture making with original pieces of furniture from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day.

In the past, handmade furniture and unique pieces were the norm and room furnishings were usually sold complete. Customised furnishings were reserved exclusively for the upper classes. This changed abruptly at the beginning of the 20th century when the Munich architect and furniture designer Richard Riemerschmid developed the first so-called "machine furniture". His aim was for the new furniture to look like classic, high-quality craftsmanship. However, as they were machine-made, they offered the masses affordable customised interior design for the first time.

The "machine furniture" was presented for the first time at the Third German Arts and Crafts Exhibition in 1906: as a previously unimaginable innovation and the revolution of modern furniture construction. Later, in the 1920s and 1930s, furniture production was further rationalised and new materials came onto the market in the form of blockboard and chipboard, which offered furniture manufacturers completely new - and affordable - possibilities. Here too, the Hellerau workshops led by Riemerschmid and the State Bauhaus founded by Walter Gropius in 1919 were pioneers. At the same time, modular systems and cabinets were created - storage furniture became more flexible, space-saving and effective. A development that continues to this day and is the origin of today's furniture developments.

The "Raumwunder" exhibition took visitors on an interesting journey through time. It showed the development of furniture using exemplary exhibits such as a rare cabinet by Riemerschmid from the first generation of "machine furniture" or one of the first modular cabinets by Marcel Breuer from 1930.

At the same time, the rauch Museum presented the development of furniture design from the beginning of modernism through postmodernism to modular and functional design in the age of digitalisation, including works by Richard Riemerschmid, Ray and Charles Eames, Charlotte Perriand and the Italian architect Ettore Sottsass, who coined the school of "anti-design". Many exhibits by renowned Bauhaus designers such as Alma Siedhoff-Buscher, Josef Pohl and Marcel Breuer, who is regarded as the inventor of modern tubular steel furniture, were also on display at the rauch Museum in Freudenberg.

PRINCE-BISHOP JULIUS ECHTER OF MESPELBRUNN (1545-1617)

Special exhibition from 16.12.2018 to 03.03.2019

In cooperation with the Martin von Wagner Museum of the University of Würzburg

Even 400 years after the death of Julius Echter, the influence of the former Prince-Bishop of Würzburg on the Main-Franconia region is still clearly visible - even in Freudenberg. The rauch museum has taken this as an opportunity to focus on the artistic universe of the multi-faceted and controversial ecclesiastical prince in a special exhibition.

Julius Echter (1545-1617) is regarded as a great builder, administrative reformer and patron of the arts. In addition to politics, science and religion, the Würzburg prince-bishop also made architecture and urban planning as well as music and the fine arts his mission during the 44 years of his reign. Echter left his mark all over the region. In Freudenberg, for example, on a Reformation wayside shrine, on the inscription plaques on the cemetery portal, on the town hall portal and on the Köhler and Elbert houses. The special exhibition "In the universe of art. Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn (1545-1617)" at the rauch museum therefore focussed on the cultural work of the prince-elector.

Naturally, one piece of furniture took centre stage: the unique "Echter table" from Schweinfurt. With its top dating from 1610, this piece of jewellery is not just a fascinating object of furniture history. Its filigree pewter inlays, together with other exhibits from the fields of painting, sculpture, printmaking and other genres, reflected the artistic creativity of the Echter period. Visitors to the exhibition were also able to admire a wooden model of the carpenter's work of a typical Echter church spire and travel through Würzburg in the Echter period on a multi-touch table. The curator of the new special exhibition was Dr Markus Maier from Freudenberg.

Special exhibition from 21.07.2018 to 02.09.2018

In a special exhibition, the rauch museum showed works of art from the ceramic and bronze sculpture studio of Kerstin Hohm from Mömlingen from 21 July to 2 September 2018. This exhibition took place as part of the Freudenberg Culture Week 2018.

The four elements of earth, water, air and fire symbolise Kerstin Hohm's work as an artist with clay. Ceramics is the aggregation of the four roots of the cosmos: earth mixed with water produces clay, air hardens it and fire transforms it into a solid element, ceramics. The motto of the exhibition was intended to express the fact that there is always more behind an artistic surface.

Mrs Hohm has been a self-employed artist since 2005, but has carried "art in her heart" for a lifetime. Starting with moulding clay, she first sought her path and has now found it. For her, art is a balance to everyday life in the highest form of purity and creation.

Her sculptures invite contemplation without being intrusive. In an atmosphere of light and liveliness, the art is in harmony with the viewer who is in her space.

To the website of Kerstin Hohm: http: //www.kerstinhohm.de/

Special exhibition from 19.11.2017 to 01.04.2018

The 1950s were not only economically flourishing, but also in terms of design. The desire for design and the need for new furniture characterised the post-war period and created the basis for the modern look of the "swinging sixties". The special exhibition included historical rauch furniture from this period, such as two living room buffets by Wendelin Rauch, the founder of the company. There were also exciting pictures and design drawings from our archive on display.

Special exhibition from 27.11.2016 to 16.04.2017

Artists, designers and architects of the avant-garde of the early 20th century were born or worked in the Mainviereck and Spessart regions. These included artists such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Christian Schad and Le Corbusier as well as Bauhaus students and masters such as Georg Muche, Alfred Arndt and Hannes Neuner. The special exhibition included works by the famous artists, their work in the region and the development of the chair using original models.

Special exhibition from 17.06.2016 to 26.06.2016

Together with the sculptor Ms Sieglinde Gros, the rauch Museum presented a special exhibition of wooden sculptures as part of the Freudenberg Culture Week. The ever-changing dimensions of the human being seem to be a particular attraction for Ms Sieglinde Gros. The insistence on the human image, the questions about his state of mind, his behaviour, his gestures and facial expressions, all this requires sensitive observation of people, a deep interest in the individual and the social interaction of people.

Special exhibitions from 15.11.2015 to 13.03.2016

recommended for imitation! expeditions in aesthetics and sustainability

First Hamburg, Beijing, Sao Paulo, Lima and then Freudenberg am Main. A multi-award-winning exhibition featuring international artists, scientists and architects made a stop at the rauch museum. At the time, it was the first exhibition in Germany to place the topic of sustainability in the cultural spotlight and to provide an opportunity to look at the often somewhat "vague" topic from a different, much more gripping perspective.

Even the German environmental organisation Deutsche Umwelthilfe found the exhibition"recommended for imitation! expeditions in aesthetics and sustainability" outstanding and awarded it the special media prize in 2010. Adrienne Goehler, former Senator for Science, Research and Culture of the State of Berlin, is the curator of the exhibition. She is convinced that pointing the finger at sustainable action is completely ineffective: "We need desire and passion," says Goehler. "We deliberately chose artists whose work blurs the boundaries between art, activism and inventions and who combine the experiences of environmental initiatives with their own artistic approaches." Accordingly, exciting exhibits such as luminous electrosmog (Richard Box) or poetic installations of melting ice sculptures (Néle Azevedo) were on display.

"It's simply fantastic that we were able to bring such a high-calibre exhibition to Freudenberg with the museum and our vision of sustainable management," says Michael Stiehl, Managing Partner of Rauch Möbelwerke.

Transformations - concepts for repurposing things

Fascinating furniture designs made from recycled materials were on display in the rauch museum under the title"Transformations - Concepts for repurposing things". The exhibits came from various collections of the Werkbundarchiv - Museum der Dinge, such as the "Notprodukte" and "Selbstbau-Objekte" sections, and were supplemented by loans from designers from the context of the German Recycling Design Award.

Curator Imke Volkers is an expert in the field: as a jury member of this renowned German Recycling Design Award, she knows exactly how extraordinary sustainable living ideas can be.

Workshops on 18 and 19 February 2016

Workshops with artist Dodi Reifenberg

As part of the special exhibition "recommended for imitation! expeditions in aesthetics and sustainability", the rauch Museum, Freudenberg, organised two workshops with the artist Dodi Reifenberg on 18 and 19 February 2016, in which used plastic bags were upcycled into lamps.

A total of 14 women from Freudenberg and the surrounding area took part in the first workshop day. Among them were employees and former employees of Rauch Möbelwerke. They designed lampshades from plastic bags with great enthusiasm and fun. Under the guidance of artist Dodi Reifenberg, the ladies wrapped lamp frames with different coloured plastic bags, which were gradually given a new function.

On the second day, nine pupils from various grammar schools in the region were guests at the rauch Museum with their art teacher Mrs Mündel-Hechtfischer from Elsenfeld Grammar School. Mrs Mündel-Hechtfischer brought together a school project on the subject of recycling and upcycling. After a guided tour of the current special exhibition with museum director Wolfgang Sasse, the pupils immediately threw themselves into working on the lampshades. This demonstrated the enormous creativity of the participants, who worked intensively with the material.

The artist Dodi Reifenberg lives in Berlin and has been working there for years with plastic bags, a product that is produced in 1.5 seconds and used for an average of 25 minutes and will take around 1000 years to decompose.

With his installation "Green - Bag - Movement, 2010", Dodi Reifenberg was part of the special exhibition mentioned at the beginning. In his series UNTITLED, Dodi Reifenberg deals with the industry's irresponsible use of plastic bags and the resulting negative effects on our environment. He receives most of the plastic bags as gifts; they have already been used before. The images he recreates are also found material from the Internet. Both are a form of recycling and upcycling.

Lecture on 28 January 2016

Speaker: Mr Ulrich Neubert

On 28 January 2016, the Catholic Adult Education Centre and the Global Marshall Plan Group Freudenberg offered a lecture on what is probably the most unusual encyclical ever written by a pope. Laudato si' by Pope Francis remains an extremely topical subject, also with regard to the climate conference in Paris. Simply describing it as an environmental encyclical would not do the letter justice. The lecture analysed the most important basic lines of the encyclical and looked at the attention it has received in church and non-church circles. It also addressed the challenge that all "people of good will" must face. The speaker was Ulrich Neubert, Director of the Mosbach Education Centre, pastoral and education officer and a profound expert on the Pope's encyclical.

The exhibition "recommended for imitation! expeditions in aesthetics and sustainability" at the rauch Museum, which was running at the time of the lecture, illustrated the subject matter of the encyclical, which deals with the problems of sustainable management. After the lecture, visitors were therefore able to take a tour of the museum.

Click here for the articles:

• Main-Echo, 30 January 2016
• Franconian News, 02 February 2016

Workshops from 25 to 29 January 2016

Workshops with Jens Burde

As part of the special exhibition "recommended for imitation! Expeditions in aesthetics and sustainability", the rauch museum and the well-known designer Jens Burde organised workshops with trainees from Rauch Möbelwerke and pupils from Miltenberg secondary school from 25 to 29 January 2016. The designer Jens Burde from Freiburg, owner of the "Sagenhaftes" institute, designed and made furniture from bamboo with the participants in a design process. In addition to the theory behind this sustainable material, the practical realisation was of course also on the agenda.

Further information, pictures and a video at Main-Echo online:
Domestic bamboo as a workpiece

Special exhibition from 3 May 2015 to 30 September 2015

As part of a special exhibition from 3 May 2015 to 30 September 2015, our trainees presented their self-designed and manufactured works. In the training workshop, the company enabled second and third-year apprentices to realise their ideas using various processing techniques and materials. Desks, sideboards and bookshelves were produced and exhibited.

VISIONARY - INVENTOR - PIONEER

Special exhibition from 8 November 2014 to 12 April 2015

From 8 November 2014 to 12 April 2015, the rauch museum presented the special exhibition "Leonardo da Vinci's machines", bringing the visions of the universal genius to life. Machines and machine elements that Leonardo invented, expanded or improved were shown in the form of large wooden models. The majority of the models were interactive and could be touched and tried out.

The exhibition also offered fascinating information about Leonardo's life, his contemporaries and the Renaissance.

In addition to his world-famous paintings such as "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper", Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) left behind a life's work of over 6,000 coded manuscript pages. These include numerous technical drawings, studies and designs on mechanics, tool and military technology, measuring instruments and locomotion on land, in water and in the air.

LIVING CONCEPTS OF THE GERMAN WERKBUND

Special exhibition from November 2013 to April 2014

On 8 November 2013, the rauch museum Freudenberg opened the exhibition "How to live? - Living concepts of the Deutscher Werkbund". This presentation was the third and last in the series of exhibitions on the major reform movements in Germany: after Bauhaus Dessau and Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau, the exhibition focussed on the Deutscher Werkbund and its significance for architecture, interiors and design in the 20th century.

Founded in 1907 by artists, manufacturers and cultural politicians, the association was dedicated to the simple and functional design of industrial products, architecture and living space. The exhibition shed light on one of the central themes of the Werkbund: the question of living. What the association understood by "proper living" and "good form" was impressively demonstrated. The Werkbund Archive - Museum of Things designed the exhibition for the rauch museum. The exhibits also came from the collection of the Werkbundarchiv - Museum der Dinge and were supplemented by private loans. In addition, the Rauch training workshop had built furniture and furniture models based on original plans from the museum's archive, thus enriching the exhibition with new research material. However, the focus was not only on the past: werkbund.jung, which today develops current initiatives relating to the topic of furnishing, also presented its fresh perspectives in the exhibition at the rauch museum.

Lecture from 11 July 2013

Speaker: Dr Helmuth Zebhauser

Heimat - that is a difficult word today. Around 1900, for example, the term homeland was of new and great importance in the youth movement, was then adopted by the Hitler state and used intensively for nationalistic and ethnic ideology, but was also worn out. After the war, the word Heimat initially fell into disrepute, even though the many displaced persons could have given the term a new meaning and ultimately did. In the meantime, the word has long since become acceptable again and is topical in many respects.

In his lecture at the rauch museum on 11 July 2013, Dr Helmuth Zebhauser gave an overview, listed official definitions and shed light on references to home, the understanding of home and the feeling of home.

Special exhibition from December 2012 to March 2013

From December 2012 to March 2013, the rauch museum presented a very special exhibition entitled "My furniture". It focussed on private pieces of furniture belonging to citizens from the region in and around Freudenberg as well as the personal history of the furniture and its significance for the owners.

In contrast to previous exhibitions, this museum project had a distinctly regional character centred around Freudenberg and the surrounding communities.

The rauch museum called on the people of the region to take part in this exciting new project - with an extremely positive response. Numerous pieces of furniture were sought and selected that have a very specific meaning within the family and can tell a story.

The project was supported by the University of Würzburg with the chairs of European Ethnology / Folklore and Museology. Students from these institutes spoke to the respective owners about their favourite pieces and documented everything so that the history behind the furniture could be experienced by visitors within the exhibition.

In this way, not only personal stories, but also the conditions of the manufacturing period and the respective zeitgeist were recorded.

With this exhibition, the rauch museum wanted to show the connection between the Rauch company and the people in and around Freudenberg.

Special project from 14.09.2012 to 31.10.2012

Special project by the rauch museum and the rauch training workshop in collaboration with the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation

The rauch museum and the rauch training workshop have realised a project that is truly magnificent in the truest sense of the word in close cooperation with the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation. The children's chair"ti 3a", designed by Marcel Breuer (1902-1981) in 1927, was faithfully reproduced on a scale of 7:1 by trainees from Rauch Möbelwerke.

On 21 May 2012, the oversized chair was ceremonially unveiled in the Rathaus-Center in Dessau and moved to the Federal Environment Agency on 14 September 2012, where it will continue to serve as a reminder of the exhibition at the Bauhaus Dessau, which is dedicated to Marcel Breuer and is open until 31 October 2012. The Hungarian-born architect is regarded as one of the greatest creative architects of the 20th century.

Special project from 14.09.2012 to 31.10.2012

Special project by the rauch museum and the rauch training workshop in collaboration with the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation

Built in 1926, Haus Anton at Doppelreihe 35 in Dessau is the only building in the experimental Bauhaus estate of Törten still largely preserved in its original condition and has been taken over by the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation. The new permanent exhibition in this renovated building provides impressive information about the history of the complex, which was built between 1926 and 1928 according to plans by Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius.

The rauch training workshop recreated an extension piece of furniture based on an original design by Marcel Breuer from 1926, which gives the interior of the building an authentic appearance. Breuer's designs were regarded as sample furniture that would later be produced in series. They were designed for rationalised production and modern living.

Lecture in April 2012

Speaker: Dr Helmuth Zebhauser

People in the 13th century would not have been able to look at what we see today in short cuts on advertising television or in pictures of modern wild painting, e.g. by Georg Baselitz.

In the early days of Western civilisation, people looked at a monumental image of the Virgin Mary in quiet contemplation, full of devotion. Nothing moved. There was no modern expressiveness. The image that people had of the world around them was very different. Over the centuries, Western man has completely changed his ability to see and expanded it almost indefinitely.

Dr Helmuth Zebhauser reported on how this happened in pictures and words at the rauch museum.

Special exhibition from 30 November 2011 to 25 March 2012

From 30 November 2011 to 25 March 2012, therauch Museum presented selected exhibits from Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau in a special exhibition. The spectrum on display impressively documented the significance of the company founded in Dresden-Hellerau in 1898.

Contemporary living for everyone at moderate prices - that was the aim of company founder Karl Schmidt. Under his leadership, Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau produced the first furniture by machine and in series, a minor sensation in Europe at the turn of the century. The people behind it were not simple carpenters, as was usual at the time, but creative minds such as the architect Richard Riemerschmid. Exciting exhibits by him, Adolf Schneck, Bruno Paul and others were on show in the exhibition. Information on interior architectural designs as well as everyday objects and textiles illustrated the fascinating range of workshops. Visitors also learnt interesting facts about the garden city of Hellerau, a highly praised and still fascinating example of modern urban development.

Therauch Museum 's special exhibition on the Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau followed on from the "Bauhaus Dessau" exhibition, which was successfully shown at the beginning of 2011. The exhibits for the special exhibition were loaned by Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau GmbH, the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation and the Museum of Decorative Arts of the Dresden State Art Collections.

"CARPENTERS OUT OF PASSION"

Special exhibition in July 2011

In this special exhibition, the rauch museum presented selected journeyman's pieces from the Miltenberg-Obernburg carpenters' guild as well as exhibits from the Rauch Möbelwerke training workshop. For two months, our visitors were able to marvel at the successful furniture of the young carpenters: The carpenters' guild presented three current journeyman's pieces with top marks and showed further exhibits that were impressive due to their special shape. Outstanding furniture from the past year was also on display. Four pieces by Rauch Möbelwerke apprentices were also on display.

With this special exhibition, rauch offered the trainees a platform, made their work known to a broad public and honoured their special commitment to the carpentry profession.

Lecture in April 2011

Speaker: Dr Helmuth Zebhauser

Very different people have very different perceptions. One person finds this beautiful, another that and the third something completely different.

Are there criteria for the use of the term beautiful?

Those who think about it initially take refuge in the terms aesthetic and aesthetics. But there are no readily available answers. Dr Zebhauser presented classic examples, gave some definitions, referred to the topics of harmony and ornament and presented the audience with the great motto "form follows function". And aimed at a contemporary understanding of beauty as it is generated in the architecture of classical modernism, in furnishings for the home and in concrete art. The lecture thus linked directly to the special exhibition "Bauhaus".

CULTURAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOCIETY USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE "COMPANY MUSEUM"

Lecture in February 2011

Speaker: Dr Matthias Wagner (University of Würzburg)

There are over 120 company museums in Germany today, including the museum of Rauch Möbelwerke GmbH in Freudenberg am Main, which only opened in 2009. This total does not include the exhibition halls of insurance companies and banks, as they collect art and present it almost exclusively to the public.

Company museums are often only one part of corporate cultural promotion. They are organised in different ways. Depending on the sector and structure of the company, their corporate purpose ranges from the pure presentation of products to a scientific reappraisal of the company's history to the presentation of an art collection. The diversity of the respective concepts unites the corporate museums in their goal of communicating cultural promotion and corporate cultural responsibility to society.

Special exhibition in November 2009

In the first special exhibition, the rauch museum showed interesting and rare examples of farmhouse cupboards and chests from the Hohenlohe region. Folk furniture that was not only made for farmers, but also for rural craftsmen and ordinary citizens. The furniture is characterised by its colourful decoration. A stylistic device that developed in simple craftsmanship.