AIDAprima – Feliks Büttner composes painting for Deck 7
The lines of the smiling lips,
moons and eyes are drawn; vivid yellow, red, blue and green blocks of color
have already been applied. The large-scale painting that the Rostock artist
Feliks Büttner has exclusively created for the new flagship AIDAprima now
stands in the exhibition room of the AIDA partner gallery, AURIGA. The 2.30 x
2.70-meter painting, which will be hung on Deck 7, will form a “narrative wall”
as the 74-year-old creator of the famous AIDA lips describes his new work of
art.
Alongside the traditional AIDA
symbol on the hull of the ship, Feliks Büttner is also involved in the artistic
interior design of the new AIDAprima. Just as, over almost two decades, the
Rostock painter and graphic artist has accompanied the brand-shaping artistic
design of all the AIDA ships.
Feliks Büttner says that the
major theme of the new painting is the world of AIDA. All of the motifs relate
to adventure-filled vacation on board, and the guests – enjoying themselves,
recharging their batteries, traveling and making discoveries. The 2015 work is
dominated by the familiar AIDA elements of moon, smiling lips and eyes. The
artist says that he has “cut out” the most successful motifs from the many
works he has created for AIDA to date, and used them to “compose a new picture”
– in the same way that AIDAprima’s new vacation concept as a year-round
destination brings together AIDA’s lengthy experience and successful concepts.
Feliks Büttner is laid-back about
the spatial separation from the new ship which is currently being built in
Nagasaki, Japan. During his many years of working with AIDA Cruises, he has
learned to “think in ship categories”. Since the new large-scale painting will
in future hang on a slightly curving wall, the canvas is in three sections.
This will also make it easier to transport the painting to the shipyard in
Japan. However, before it takes its place on Deck 7, it will first be on show
at the Rostock Kunsthalle on May 17, 2015. That day will see the opening of a
retrospective of his work with the title of “Viermal 75” – to mark his 75th
birthday. Considerable space at the show will be devoted to his long-standing
collaboration with AIDA Cruises.
In the last few weeks, Feliks
Büttner has worked for three to four hours every day at the AURIGA Gallery on
his new painting for AIDAprima, so that it’s ready “at the right time”. Now
it’s the large-scale details of the work that captivate. As Feliks Büttner
explains, the individual visual elements on a “narrative wall” should not be
too small. The first guests will be able to savor Feliks Büttner’s new work on
Deck 7 from October 1, 2015 when the AIDAprima begins its maiden voyage from
Yokohama in Japan. The painting will lead the guests directly to the AIDA art
gallery which is immediately adjacent, where more works by this hard-working
artist are on show and can be purchased.
