My daughter Francesca is studying the art of Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser in school. I must admit that I had never heard of this amazing person before encountering her vibrant painting inspired by his work (above), and her enthusiastic articulation of his name—Hundertwasser!—always with an exclamation point—real, or implied.
Born jewish, he suffered under Nazism and joined the Hitler Youth as a subterfuge and means of staying alive. In later years he became a passionate advocate of individualism and bold, bright colors, and raged against the monotony of standardization and mechanization. Sounds like my kind of guy—a proto Wabi-Sabi. He was also an early environmentalist—into composting toilets—and developing mixed-use housing and encouraging “spontaneous” vegetation.
His architecture looks somewhat Gaudi-esque. I love the organic shapes and unrestrained colours. I think I have found a new inspiration.
on Hundertwasser: I discovered him in an Eighth Avenue thrift shop in Manhattan, a tiny book of gorgeous prints. I’ve been to his Vienna museum three times and also to the nearby housing complex he designed. His floors are like the earth, a bit wavy, never flat. Once I drove about 40 miles out of my way to see a toilet he designed in a humble New Zealand village. My husband and I took an entire roll of 36 photos each, he in the
men’s. Phenomenal! Hundertwasser did it so this shabby town would get people coming and perhaps improve!
He was an amazing artist!!!! Bari
What a lovely story! Plumbing can save the world in more ways than one. I love it when art and function come together. There is absolutely no reason why one cannot have a transformative experience every day—even in the commode! thanks!