Haus der Seidenkultur extends “Pattern Masters from the Silk Town”
Exhibition is in memory of Professor Zimmermann and a pattern which he designed for the Queen Mother’s “Blue Parlour”
“Pattern Masters from the Silk Town“ is the title of the current Haus der Seidenkultur (HdS) exhibition on display in the Sudbahnhof in the Saumstrasse. “In view of the significant interest shown, the exhibition is being extended beyond the month of July until 22nd September”, says curator Dieter Brenner. Some 60 actual exhibits and 400 virtual exhibits recall the „Niederrheinische Künstlergilde“ (Lower Rhine Artists’ Guild) whose story started in 1945 “not in St. Tropez” but impoverished and unnoticed under the railway embankment in a small primitive bar in what was once the Südbahnhof of the former Krefeld Railway”. That is how the painter and graphic artist Heinz von der Way describes it in his speech manuscript (now on show in the cabinet) on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the artists’ club.
Professor Richard Zimmermann (1881 – 1956) was one of the founder members of the guild. In 1906 the painter originally from Stuttgart was called to the “Königliche Webeschule für Textilindustrie” (Royal Weaving School for the Textile Industry) in Krefeld shortly after meeting Rainer Maria Rilke in Switzerland. He lectured there for thirty years before moving to the Krefeld "Werkkunstschule” (School for Applied Art) for a further twelve years. There he turned many of his students into master textile pattern designers.
The last surviving student of Professor Zimmermann initially sparked the exhibition in the middle of last year: Al-Ali Broich, who gave the HdS a gift “which – according to Brenner – was literally beyond all expectations”. The item is a painted pattern which Professor Zimmermann designed as an assignment for the Queen Mother for her “Blue Parlour”. The British Queen Mother’s order was carried out in 1939 by the VERSEIDAG which wove the 50-metre long silk wall covering based on the Zimmermann pattern. Now this painted pattern is one of the highlights of the exhibition.
As 30 years ago the town of Krefeld had nowhere to store the more than 500 paintings, drawings and studies carried out by Professor Zimmermann, his widow, Hertha gave her husband’s legacy to the small town of Braunfels for safe-keeping. “We remember the great master in regular exhibitions here”, said the mayor, Wolfgang Keller, who came to Krefeld for the opening with a seven-person delegation from the spa town in the Lahn-Dill district.
He quickly reached agreement with HdS Chairman Hansgeorg Hauser that, in future, joint efforts will be made to trace further works and stories about Zimmermann. “The mayor had brought four oil paintings to Krefeld as a loan for the exhibition including one which depicts the town in ruins in 1945. In addition a CD with more than 400 further exhibits which are being presented on a flat-screen as a slide show in the Südbahnhof.
New Exhibits
The extended exhibition now includes new exhibits loaned to HdS by a Krefeld-based art dealer. One of them is a portrait of her father painted by Erika Zimmermann. A charcoal drawing depicts Haus Neuenhofen in Bockum. The little castle served silk baron Johann von der Leyen as a summer residence in the 18th century.
Works by Hermann Kampendonk (1909 – 1994) and Heinz von der Way (1888 – 1973) are also on show. Both artists earned their living making textile design patterns as commercial art “so that they could also work as independent artists”, is how von der Way once described it.
Whilst Hermann Kampendonk earned his living with designs for Dujardin, Heinz von Way’s clients included breweries such as Tivoli, Hannen and Rhenania. His declared advertising aim formulated in 1950 in a letter to the „Arbeitsausschuss des Propaganda- und Werbeausschusses des Deutschen Brauer-Bundes“ (German brewers‘ association): “The aim of the advertising is to encourage as many people as possible to decide to enjoy a glass as often as possible!” The type-written extract of the historic document is – as can be seen in the exhibition – underlined in red. .
Beneath the work (Hülser Bruch) of her teacher, Dagmar Al-Ali Broich has hung her own works in the Südbahnhof where the extended exhibition “Pattern Masters from the Silk Town” can be seen until 22nd September. Namely on every 1st and 3rd Sunday in the month from 11.00 to 16.00 hours or upon appointment – Tel. 02151-510812.
Son Gert Kampendonk in front of the work of his father
Granddaughter Ursula Altenähr in front of the works of her grandfather. The painting top right dates from 1957 and is entitled: “Nasse Straße am Glockenspitz”.(Wet Road on Glockenspitz
In the flashlights of the photographers: Zimmermann student, Dagmar Al-Ali and Volker Zimmerschied, Curator of the Zimmermann legacy in Braunfels. Both are standing in front of a painted pattern which was once designed for the Queen Mother. 
Joint research in future: The Mayor of Braunfels, Wolfgang Keller (left) and Hansgeorg Hauser, Chairman of Haus der Seidenkultur in Krefeld.
A seven-person delegation from Braunfels was present at the opening of “Pattern Masters from the Silk Town”. Also present, Mayor Wolfgang Keller (2nd from left) and Town Council Chairman Volker Zimmerschied (3rd from right)
Professor. Zimmermann: A portrait which daughter Erika painted of her father.