Biography

Born in Ende near Herdecke, Friedrich Becker is one of the most influential goldsmith figures in the second half of the twentieth century. He became known above all for his avant-garde designs of kinetic jewellery and large kinetic objects, with which he added a new dimension to the art of goldsmithing: "I never wanted to make anyone's jewellery; aesthetics, function and economy of form are the most important criteria of my work.

Becker was concerned with kinetics, the interplay of force and movement, already during his apprenticeship years. First he trained as a mechanical engineer, then enrolled to study aeronautical engineering. It was only after the Second World War that he "made the foolhardy decision to become a goldsmith". After his apprenticeship as a goldsmith, he studied at the Werkkunstschule, then founded his own workshop in Düsseldorf.

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Objects by Friedrich Becker