T H E M C - B AU C H E M I E M A G A Z I N E F O R O U R PA R T N E R S A N D E M P LOY E E S 3 . 2 0 1 1 aktiv

“Unconscious Processes in Motion”

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I N D I A L O G U E

Werner Haypeter (picture above, on the right)

Studied at the academy of arts in Düsseldorf and became a stu-

dent in the master class of Prof. Erwin Heerich, who has become

well-known especially due to the planning of buildings on the museum island Hombroich near

Neuss. Haypeter’s works were awarded many prizes, such as

the art prize of the city of Bonn and the Piepenbrock Young Tal-

ent Award for Sculpture.

Prof. Dr. Werner Heister (picture above, on the left)

Is university lecturer for Econom-ics at the North Rhine University in Mönchengladbach and Direc-

tor of Marketing Studies at the APOLLON University of Health Care, Bremen. He is the author

of a series of guidebooks on the topic of “Learning and Self Man-

agement” among others and works freelance as a manage-

ment consultant.

Heister: The installation in the training centre of MC-Bauchemie conveys a very personal illusion of space that is accessible in par-ticular to those who are curious and open with all their senses. Through the integrated art the room becomes more – at second glance – than somewhere to serve mere material purpose-orientated needs, such as a room to relax.

This art defines space, brings dif-ferent people together and incites reflection and communication. It is impressive how people from dif-ferent fields of activity can be put in a position to leave their envi-ronment and venture searchingly onto new ground, so to speak,

to look “beyond their own back-yard”. The discussion is encour-aged even more, Mr Haypeter, as you use materials with which the people using the rooms, are also confronted with elsewhere: concrete and epoxy resin. You have now been dealing with the synthetic epoxy resin since 1994. Why exactly are you working with this material, are you exploring plastics?

Haypeter: No, after all it is indus-try’s job to develop the material specifically for their customers. Development includes “research”, if the industry wants to be innova-tive. I make use of these results when I apply them mostly for

purposes they were not originally intended for.

Heister: But then you are researching the material as an artist?

Haypeter: On taking a closer look at my work, it becomes obvi-ous that research refers here to the artistic working process: the search for materials and their char-acteristics with regard to the pos-sibility of implementation.

Heister: What do you mean by that?

Haypeter: I would like to try to answer from another side. In 1956 the architects Ionel Schein and René André Coulon in France developed the first house made of plastic, the “snail shell”, in coopera-tion with a chemical company. The real research work takes place in your head – developing a con-cept – the characteristics of the materials must be recognised and related to – a house, in this case. In

“Unconscious Processes in Motion”

4 MC aktiv · 3.2011

M C D I A L O G U E

A new work of art decorates the lobby of the MC-Bauchemie’s training centre in Bottrop. The installation made of concrete and epoxy resin by Werner Haypeter, artist living and working in Düs-seldorf and Bonn, encourages the observer to bond with the inner life of the materials. In this way he is transported into the sphere of Haypeter’s well-thought-out design and realizes the processes that take place during the production of the material as well as during the implementation of the work. Representative for all observers Prof. Dr. Werner Heister spoke to the artist about his work:

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contrast to the architect, this crea-tive process is defi ned for me by purposeless thinking.

Heister: Can you illustrate this using your latest project of the artistic creation of the MC-Bauche-mie training centre? How did this project come about and what does it mean to you?

Haypeter: In 1994/95 I had an 18 month workshop scholarship in the Sutter group in Essen. A com-pany at the centre of which is the concept “communication”. The art-ist in permanent desired and unin-tentional dialogue with the people working in the business. As there were always several hundred peo-ple working there on site, commu-nication was inevitable. One of my most important works, the edition “Faltungen” was made possible by using the company’s own Heidel-berg mass print facility. Dr. Bertram Müller visited me here accompa-nied by friends in order to see my pictures and objects that were just formed. Looking at my pen and ink sketches, Dr. Müller remarked on leaving my workshop that I was welcome to look at epoxy resins in his factory in Bottrop.

I took him up on the invitation very soon. I was already present at the production of my PVC-plates at Kautex, so I felt myself reminded of my workshop imme-diately because of the integration of the products in their origination process on site.

Heister: Can you explain that in more detail?

Haypeter: All my works let their originating process be recon-structed upon closer observation – this happens mostly uncon-sciously – that is very important to me. Here, as in the workshop are open questions, ways must be found, solutions imagined. The production comes to solutions, if it wants to be successful, the artist also, however they are apparent solutions for the artist, solutions for a short moment. The work remains a mystery in the end, or rather a secret.

A building can be built superbly for its respective user according to its purpose; the work of art can evoke similar feelings in the observer, soon takes you however into the unknown. A good work of art should take possession of a person, occupy him – whether he wants to or not – without name-able reason.

Heister: But the question of the room installation at MC-Bauche-mie?

Haypeter: I was able to move freely at MC-Bauchemie after that. I was happy about the very sensi-tive, exploratory approach to my work by Dr. Bertram Müller. The connection between cast epoxy resin and a pen and ink sketch, implied in Essen, soon became clear to me.

The company processes taking place every day in the training centre of MC-Bauchemie inter-ested me. The lobby plays a cen-tral role. It is a room where people

come together after seminars and lectures, where they are thrown back on themselves, where they congregate, groups meet, and form new ones. I would like to become a part of this whole through my artistic intervention with my work, infl uence and set unconscious processes in motion. I had to use material and proc-esses I found here, naturally. Heister: In your expansive installa-tions the reference to the respec-tive company processes on site stand out (social events…), how come?

Haypeter: The architectural psy-chology with all its questions was of great importance to me already as a school boy. I went to a gram-mar school in the small town of Wiehl in Bergisch Land. The school building found a lot of apprecia-tion from the town because of its architecture, yet there was often a lot of wilful damage done to the school building. Two fellow pupils and I tried to fi nd the reasons for this destruction. We carried out surveys among the pupils and teachers, interviewed the architect and the city director, talked to Joseph Beuys in Düsseldorf. All of this was published in a special school newspaper. The impact of the architecture on school events became very clear here. Results of art classes hung in the build-ings’ corridors could mostly only serve as pure distraction. After that, I was very aware that not only architecture but also art can actively infl uence events. In 2002 the book ”Schools of the Future“

by Rotraut Walden and Simone Borrelbach appeared, which high-lights this topic.

Heister: Ideas often exist but they have to be able to be imple-mented. Did you have the neces-sary freedom for your composition or did the fi nished project also conceal hidden concessions?

Haypeter: No concessions. To me, it was an extremely good uncompromising cooperation for both sides. That’s good. It was rumoured: “If Bertram wants something, a way will be found….” That was the case.

I was able to use the know-how and material of the MC-Bauche-mie frequently, but personal artis-tic visions were never submitted to me, which is extraordinary and refreshing as well. Such a position clarifi es the basis of cooperation and made the MC-Bauchemie project for me to something special.

And so my thanks go to all employees of MC-Bauchemie. I thank the MC-Bauchemie man-agement and in particular Dr. Bertram Müller for the friendly creative cooperation.

M C D I A L O G U E

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Many helping hands were needed to erect the installation to meet the demands of the artist.

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