Rolf Hamacher was born in Opladen, Federal Republic of Germany. He
has been teaching Art, Art History and Science of Education at the
Grafschafter Gymnasium in Moers, a little town at the edge of the
former industrial zone, which is known as the Ruhrgebiet, for
the last 25 years.
He bought a house together with his American friend Prof. Dr. Eric
Johnson on the peninsula of Harpswell, ME in 1994 and lives there occasionally.
From 1999 to 2000 he spent a sabbatical on the Hawaiian Island of
Maui and worked with art students, teachers and artists.
From 1969 to 1975 he successfully completed a full course of study
at the Art Academy Düsseldorf, where he was originally supervised
by Prof. Joseph Beuys and at the end by Prof. Andre Thomkins. He received
the degree of Meisteschüler (master student) which is the highest
achievement in the visual arts and is equivalent to a Master of Fine
Arts degree in the U.S. system. |
“Everyone is an artist, everyone can be creative.“ ~ Joseph
Beuys
My teaching has always tried to emphasize the
important role of art in the development of the
individual and the society. Creativity is the
gift, which enables humans to solve the problems
of living together peacefully in harmony with
nature and makes our dreams become real. In this
direction I have continually attempted to go beyond
the instruction of basic artistic skills, to strive
toward developing more socially creative processes,
in which the participants could extend their perceptions,
consciousness, and techniques in various and comprehensive
forms of communication. These goals were especially
realized in different performances, exhibits,
and murals, which I worked on together with my
students. Each of my "artworks" has been developed
in cooperation with my students, a method which
has helped to enhance their originality and encouraged
them to be participants in the creative process.
The projects have been shaped and directed by
their suggestions, realized together with them,
and in the end have become artworks which represent
the product of a social and democratic creative
process. |
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