Elisabeth Drude is a German artist based in Vienna. Trained as a goldsmith, she went on to earn a master’s degree in art history from the University of Cologne in 1998, with a thesis exploring iron jewelry. She worked for many years in the jewelry sector in Italy before shifting her focus in 2017 to her own artistic practice in Vienna, which is characterized by a strongly conceptual approach. For Drude, jewelry serves as a medium for storytelling and a lens through which to reflect on human behavior. The work draws inspiration from everyday observations, cultural codes, and emotional states.
Elisabeth Drude
born in Germany
lives and works in Vienna
Education
1991 – 1998 Master of Art History, University of Cologne, Master thesis: "Eisenschmuck im 19. Jahrhundert"
1979 – 1983 Apprenticeship as goldsmith
Experience
since 2016 freelance artist, Vienna (AT)
2017 - 2024 teaching of art and jewellery art, KunstModeDesign Herbststrasse, Vienna (AT)
1999 – 2014 national manager in the jewellery sector (IT)
1983 – 1998 goldsmith in diff. ateliers (DE)
Exhibition
2025
"Earring Galore" Heidi Lowe Gallery, NYCJW
"Lückenfüller" Steuben Gallery, Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NYCJW
JELO6 Project, Old Nicosia Town Hall, Cyprus
"Data as Wearable Art" National Museum of Kazakhstan, Astana
"Strange Tradition" Plattform Schmuckkunst Graz
"Synergie" Uni.Versus Kunstraum Athen
"Turning Point" Gdańsk Jewellery Week, Poland
"Narrative Space Transformation" InFlow, Budapest
«Zat. Вещь. Thing» Syldyr Projekt, Almaty, Kazakhstan
"Wow Effect" 33rd International Jewellery Competition, Gallery of Art in Legnica, Poland
"Out of the box" Galerie GEDOK, Munich Jewellery Week
"Chaos & Control" Precious Collective, Munich Jewellery Week / Galerie Lalabeyou Madrid
"Lückenfüller" Room to Dream, Munich Jewellery Week
"Trying on treasure", Photo projekt by Syldyr, Munich Jewellery Week
2024
"Echos of the Untaken Path" Israel Biennale
"Spectrum" Galerie GEDOK, Munich
"Scrumptious: Jewelry as Nourishment“ online exhibition SNAG
"Treasure Island" Syldyr Projekt, Forte Kulanshi Art Space Gallery, Astana, Kazakhstan
"Lückenfüller" Studio Ela Nord, Wien
"Salute" Galerie GEDOK, Munich
“(Un)Avowable Secrets” Alliages, Werkstatt Galerie, Munich Jewellery Week / Chateau-musèe Grimaldi, Cagnes-sur Mer/ Galerie Lalabeyou, Madrid
”Looking for Wonderland” Galerie GEDOK, Munich Jewellery Week
2023
„Truth or Dare“ AdornAxis NYC Jewelry Week
„Memento mori“ Night Shift Studio, Philadephia
„Awe and Alchemy“ ACJ, Armagh, Ireland
„Missing Memories“ Alliages Gallery, Lille / Werkstatt Galerie, Munich Jewellery Week / Melting Point Valencia / Contemporania Barcelona / Galerie Lalabeyou Madrid
„Matter of Form“ AdornAxis NYC, Armory Art Center, Palm Beach / NYCxDESIGN
2022
„Sinn und Wandel“ Gallery Sur, Vienna
„Colorful Recovery“ Israel Biennale, Ramat Hasharon
„PARADOX“ Budapest Jewelry Week
„Porto Joia“ – Feira Internacional de Joalharia, Portugal
2021
„Come Closer“ Galerie Sur, Vienna
„Remote Viewing“ AdornAxis, New York
Romanian Jewelry Week, Bukarest
NYCxDesign, AdornAxis, New York
„Painful Hope“ Alliages Gallery, Lille
2020
„Show us your Rona“ Bridget Kennedy Projekt Space, Sydney
ARTESANIA CATALUNYA – Arts&Crafts Museum Barcelona
JOYA Barcelona
2019
„Kreaturierung“ Galerie Sur, Vienna
„10 Jahre Kolleg KunstSchmuckDesign Herbststrasse“ Museum for Applied Arts, Vienna
Collectiva Meeting 2019, Porto, Portugal
„Red“ Mobilia Gallery, MA, USA