Wir leben in einer Welt der Unübersichtlichkeit. — Jeder Mensch, jedes Ereignis, jedes Ding stellt sich den mannigfaltigen Betrachtern verschieden dar. Mancher Blickwinkel lässt die eine Facette umso heller erstrahlen, ein anderer diese im Schatten verschwinden. Unter dem Druck, ständig rasche, augenblickliche Entscheidungen zu treffen, verliert man zudem die großen, existenziellen Fragen fast aus den Augen. — Es sich anscheinend einfach zu machen, eine klare Unterscheidung zu treffen zwischen Richtig und Falsch, Schwarz und Weiß, Gut und Böse erscheint da wie ein unerhörter Luxus.

Wie etwas, das man sich gar nicht mehr leisten kann. Die Sehnsucht danach hört allerdings nie auf. Dieser Sehnsucht hat Melanie Haarhaus durch die Schmuckstücke ihrer neuen Kollektion »Maiden’s Prayer and Satan’s Whiskers« eine Gestalt verliehen. Sie erzählt eine der ältesten Geschichten des westlichen Kulturkreises, eine Geschichte vom Versuch, das Gute klar vom Bösen zu trennen, und lässt sie in einer anderen Art von Luxus wieder aufleben.

We live in a confusingly complex world. — Every individual, incident or item presents itself in a different manner to different observers. Viewed from one angle a facet may shine all the brighter, while from another it will disappear into the shadows. Under constant pressure to make quick, impulsive decisions we also risk losing sight of the great, existential questions. — Taking the easy way out – clearly differentiating between right and wrong, black and white, good and evil – seems like an outrageous luxury, a luxury we can no longer afford.

And yet we never cease to yearn for it. Melanie Haarhaus has now given this yearning form in the pieces from her new jewellery collection »Maiden’s Prayer and Satan’s Whiskers«. The collection tells one of western culture's oldest stories, a story of the quest to clearly divide good from evil, and makes it come alive in an altogether different kind of luxury.
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Dieter Telfser 2007 für © Melanie Haarhaus 2007

Melanie Haarhaus, new collection »Maiden’s Prayer and Satan’s Whiskers« was launched in September 2007. With this jewellery collection the artist sets new standards for her work in several respects. For the first time the pieces created are part of an ensemble, a story is being told. Every single one is a small piece of art, nested in a theme that will never loose its timeliness. In addition to one-of-a-kind pieces, the collection for the first time also includes reproducible items, in strictly limited editions. Every piece has been hand-made with technical perfection by the artist and makes one of western culture's oldest stories come luxuriously alive — the clear division of good from evil...

For Melanie Haarhaus, jewellery design turned out to be the perfect means of expression in many respects. The artist’s fascination with miniatures and the obscure beneath the obvious, as well as the desire to make reality look less grue some by converting it into something beautiful. — Traditional crafts meet an Oscar Wildesque view of beauty and an affinity for fine details. An attempt to transfer the classic into modernity without loosing contact to the technical roots. Characteristic for her jewellery are handmade one-of-a-kinds, sometimes combining vintage elements with her own designs, always focusing on high quality technical craftsmanship.