Art and design - a new place for teaching and research
At the beginning of 2023, the state of Hesse acquired the Höchster Porzellan Manufaktur, which was founded in 1746, in order to preserve this historical heritage for the state of Hesse. The Offenbach University of Art and Design (HfG) will continue to operate the second-oldest porcelain manufactory in Germany with a new concept and utilise the craftsmanship and artistic expertise for interdisciplinary research and teaching.
The HfG has integrated HPM into the university as a teaching and research satellite. The historical designs and moulds are preserved through archiving and visualisation, as are the manufacturing know-how and the complete production processes. An innovative approach to porcelain and ceramics means consciously embracing tradition while at the same time showing the courage to integrate new media and production processes. HPM offers unique conditions for new approaches: for linking with new digital processes such as ceramic 3D printing processes, robotics, for new digital surface finishes and for opening up to other material groups, processes and contexts.
Together with the state of Hesse, the Crespo Foundation and the Aventis Foundation, the HfG offers an international residency programme at the Höchster Porzellan Manufaktur (HPM). The programme supports artists and designers in their work with ceramic materials, especially porcelain.
In addition to teaching and research, a small business selling the porcelain is continued. Furthermore, products from the Höchster Porzellan Manufaktur are offered for sale in the Struwwelpeter-Museum Frankfurt, the Historisches Museum Frankfurt and the Kulturothek Frankfurt. In addition, Höchster Porzellan Manufaktur items will once again be available in the FAZ online shop Selection. The trademark rights and domain of the Höchster Porzellan Manufaktur were transferred to the Offenbach University of Art and Design. The university redesigned the old word-image brand in order to preserve the brand essence on the one hand and to clarify the future direction on the other. hfg-offenbach.de