Interview with Hundertwasser

Friedensreich Hundertwasser ? 2000 J. Harel, Vienna

Following an in-depth lesson focused upon the artwork and architectural redesigns of Hundertwasser, fifth-grade students at Shady Brook Elementary (Bedford) and Mitchell Elementary (Plano) recently had the opportunity to interview the artist.  Being in contact with the artist and becoming engaged with Hundertwasser?s ideas and art have prompted these students to become aware of their own environment, to think about how they are taking care of their world, and look at buildings in new ways.  Hundertwasser?s responses to the interview questions, though brief, have triggered more discussion and environmental awareness.   
Before compiling their questions, students first looked closely at a variety of Hundertwasser?s paintings to determine what the work was about.  After determining the importance of curved lines and color to the images, students then began to contemplate the works on a deeper level.  Soon it became apparent that Hundertwasser?s work addresses issues about the environment and includes many references to water, plants, trees, and humankind.  

HundertwasserHaus ? 2000 J. Harel, Vienna

Next, students were introduced to the architecture of Hundertwasser, in particular the Spittlelau Heating Plant, HundertwasserHaus (an apartment building in Vienna), and KunstHausWien (Hundertwasser?s own museum, also in Vienna).  Contrasting and comparing these buildings with each other, students readily saw connections between the curved lines and colors of the paintings to similar lines and colors within the structures.  Finally students were provided opportunities to learn about the philosophy behind the two- and three-dimensional works of art.  

KunstHausWien ? 2000 J. Harel, Vienna

The ideas promoted by Hundertwasser through his work are complex and not easily covered in one or even multiple lessons; rather, his ideas are encompassing and require careful thought over a period of time.  While Hundertwasser?s work is at once whimsical and fairy-tale like, it is also serious in intent.  Some of the paintings, drawings, and other two-dimensional artwork bring to public attention problems with our world?s environment while the architectural designs and redesigns then furnish viable art and ecology solutions.  It is little wonder that Hundertwasser is often called ?The Architecture Doctor.?  

Because of the limited time that Hundertwasser was able to dedicate to the answering of the children?s questions, only those questions that could not be answered through research online or in books were submitted to the artist.  The following are the questions submitted by the students and responses by the artist. Students later used a non-traditional poetry format to write poems based upon information they learned from the images and through the interview.

View the Hundertwasser Poem Gallery (Mitchell Elementary)
Download the Poetry Schematic in Adobe PDF format 
Generate your own poetry here!

Hundertwasser Interview

Students: When did you decide to be an artist?

Hundertwasser: When I worked with a farmer, I saw how green the grass is and brown the earth.

Students: Why are you interested in nature?

Hundertwasser: Because we are a part of it.  If we kill nature we kill ourselves.

Students: We have looked at pictures of the Watts Towers and the Palias Du Facteur Cheval.  Why do you call this healthy architecture?

Hundertwasser: Because it is architecture in harmony with nature and the individual creativity of man.  Ugly straight lined heartless architecture makes us sick.

Students: We have learned about the Spittelau Heating Plant.  We think that it is a super artwork.  We also like the way that it helps the environment.  What can we kids do to make our environment better?

Hundertwasser: Kids could help to avoid waste and join the efforts to become a wastefree society.

Students: We like HundertwasserHaus.  We would like our school to look like that.  Do most people like your architecture?

Hundertwasser: Yes, most people like my architecture because it fills the hidden longings for variety, organic forms, and life in harmony with nature.  It makes people smile.

Students: Why do you live in New Zealand?  Is it clean there?  Is there much optical pollution?  We wish that we did not have some much optical pollution in Texas!

Hundertwasser: I like New Zealand because it is at the Antipodes, far away from my commitment and from public interest.  New Zealand is polluted as well and it is rich in optical pollution.  The optical pollution is the most dangerous because it kills the soul of humanity.  Unfortunately optical pollution is everywhere in our civilized world, but it must not be like that.  We can combine beauty with civilization if we want to.

Note: This interview was conducted via email correspondence and fax during a three-month period from November 1999 through January 2000.  The students, teachers, and author wish to thank  Hundertwasser archivist, Andrea F?rst, for her contributions.