Anna Phillips
Working title: Artist in Residence at the House of Schwarzkopf
Project Outline: To work at the House of Schwarzkopf, Hamburg, Germany for a 6 week period as a un-paid "Artist in Residence". Consult with designers, scientists, plastic fabricators and the Curator of the "Schwarzkopf Collection"
Date of visit:Mid July 1999 till end of August 1999 (6 Week period)
Artistic Report
I successfully applied to the House of Schwarzkopf in Hamburg to visit the House of Schwarzkopf in July 1999 and work as a un-paid Artist -in-Residence for 6 weeks. I consulted with members of the Schwarkopf company such as, shampoo bottle designers, graphic artists, administrative and public relations staff and industrial chemists. 1 also visited the Schwarzkopf manufacturing plant in Bavaria and plastic bottle fabrication factory in Dusseldorf where 1 meet with industrial chemists and formulists who develop and research Schwarzkopf shampoo and its chemical qualities and attributes. 1 also had the opportunity to visit the "Schwarzkopf Collection", the 5,000 year old collection of artifacts tracing the history of beauty culture to present day housed in Dresden, Germany. On my return home to Australia 1 had the opportunity to visit Port Sunlight, near Liverpool, England. Port Sunlight is the Industrial "home' of Lever and Kitchen one of the largest domestic cleaning product manufacturing companies in the world. 1 spent a day visiting the model village that Lord Lever constructed for his workers during the 1880"s and also the Lady Lever Art Gallery which houses one of the largest private art collections in England.
An assessment of the project
The project 1 believe was a complete success. The opportunity to work as a Artist in Residence at the Schwarzkopf Professional fulfilled more than all my expectations both professionally and personally. 1 was privileged to be given access to the workings of a International hair company and shown remarkable trust and interest on their part for my artistic development and understanding of their company.
I was greeted at the airport by the public relations staff from Schwarzkopf Professional. They accompanied me to the private accommodation which had been arranged for me in the heart of Hamburg. The next day the P.R staff picked me up and took me to the Shwarzkopf headquarters, where 1 was taken on a tour of the building and introduced to the Managing Director of Shwarzkopf. Iwas given a copy of a 5 week itinerary that the P.R staff had worked out for me from the objectives that I had included in my proposal. (see copy of itinerary)
During the period that 1 worked at Schwarzkopf I was chauffeur driven around Germany in a 1999 sports coupe to Dusseldorf to visit a plastic fabrication factory and then one to Bavaria to visit the main Schwarzkopf manufacturing site. At the completion of my residency at Schwarzkopf 1 gave three presentations on my art making and my interest in shampoo to all the workers at the Hamburg headquarters.
Iwas encouraged to make art in response to my findings whilst at Schwarzkopf. 1 was given a studio space and access to a computer and a photocopy machine. Which 1 used extensively whilst working in the Schwarzkopf archives. 1 made two pieces of art work whilst at Shwarzkopf, which 1 presented to the company when 1 left. The first piece, once constructed cascaded down 6 floors of the Schwarzkopf headquarters in Hamburg. It was made from all the different types of coloured shampoo bottle lids. 1 called this piece "Schwarzkopf Waterfall". Nearly a year later, 1 have been informed it is still in place. The second piece 1 made whilst working in the laboratory at Hamburg, was constructed from solidified black shampoo, in the image of a 1 metre tall black head. A copy of the black headed women is on the front of every Shwarzkopf bottle. This piece was very successful with the "labor" staff (chemists and bio-technicians) since nobody had ever made black shampoo till 1 had. Because 1 had transformed the shampoo substance from a liquid to a solid made me very popular. This piece 1 coated onto a window in the Public Relations office and is still there today and shown to all the visitors of SchawarzkopE
A two page article was written about myself in the Schwarzkopf quarterly magazine called "Dialog". This magazine is distributed internationally and 1 received two copies. 1 have also given two community presentations since 1 have returned home, one for CAST in north Hobart, and one at Moonah Arts Centre, Hobart. In both presentations which have been open to the general public 1 have explained my involvement at Schwarzkopf, how it came to be and the artistic outcomes from my trip. 1 have shown videos and slides and show the audience the 50 litres of shampoo 1 made whilst at Shwarzkopf and which Schwarzkopf mailed home for me free of charge.
As a result of my Artist in Residence project 1 am currently making sculptures using shampoo that 1 made in Germany. 1 applied to the University of Tasmania for a research Scholarship to complete a Research Doctorate, for which 1 was successful so now 1 am studying full time. I successfully applied to the Moonah Arts Centre along with two other artists to have an exhibition of my current art research findings. This art making is a direct result of my exposure and knowledge gained from my residency at Schwarzkopf in Germany.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Arts Tasmania for their generous and kind support.,it was a dream come true for me to have the opportunity to travel to Germany and with-out the support and vision of Arts Tasmania my dream could not have happened. Since 1 have returned home 1 have remained in close contact with many of the employees from Schwarzkopf, many regularly e-mail me and send me letters and cards. These people were fantastic to work with and in the short period of time that 1 worked with them showed me the most remarkable kindness and interest, which 1 will never forget.