artists' colony Halfmannshof

Welcome

In its character as a community of creative individuals the artists' colony Halfmannshof is a remarkable phenomenon. Different from Worpswede, which has developed into an extensive and rambling settlement, the buildings of Halfmannshof are grouped around their orgiginals nucleus, the homestead of a farmer called Halfmann, the last of his name. His coat of arms showed a cock, which is now the emblem of Halfmannshof. When, in 1931, the town of Gelsenkirchen placed the deserted farmhous at the disposal of several enterprising young artists, the casual sharing of living quarters soon led to fruitful co-operation. After reconstruction, begun in 1945, and the final extension of the settlement on a generous scale by the town of Gelsenkirchen, an independent artists' colony with homes, workshops and studios grew up, which may be regarded as unique of its kind and might well serve as a model for similar projects.

The inhabitants of Halfmannshof are as much in favour of the concrete as of the abstract; they appreciate healthy realism as much as surrealistic imagery. However, these "craftsmen" are of a special attitude of mind and display a keen sense and perception of what is masterly skill and what mere diletantism, of what is genuine and what affectation. But it would be giving a wrong impression to speak of any uniformity of style in the entire production at Halfmannshof. This would not be in keeping with the structure and diversity of the colony. It is most entertaining to have one of the inhabitants of Halfmannshof guide you through the studios and workshop and as a spectator to provoke serous and joking comments. It soon becomes clear that this is not a rarefied group living in an ivory tower. The last owner of Halfmannshof was known for his pranks rivalling those of "der tolle Bomberg", a popular figure in these parts, and the practical jokes played by the present occupants would likewise fill a book.
HM Denneborg

The present inhabitants of Halfmannshof:

HERBERT DANIEL, painter * BARBARA ECHELMEYER, ceramics * JIRI HILMAR, sculptor + KARIN HILMAR, sculptress * ROLF JOHN, painter * DIETMAR KLEIN, bookbinder * Helmut Kloth, photographer * KATJA LANGER, artist, graphics * PEDRO MALINOWSKI, photographer, dancer * WOLFGANG PRAGER, steel sculptor * HEINER SZAMIDA, artist

artists' colony Halfmannshof present artists: contact