THE LITTLE WINE YEAR (4/30/2003)
Bernd Lehmnann presents his new major literary-graphic project on the theme of
Rilke and Wine
"A real wine taster no longer drinks wine but tastes its secrets," as Salvador Dali once put it. The new collected
edition "Das kleine Weinjahr" (12 limited original etchings with classic wine motifs, verses
For the North-German artist aesthetic perception is not restricted to looking and seeing. It covers all the senses,
as is shown in his powerfully conceived etchings on the topic of wine. They ooze the personality, structure and
fragrance of wine, to which the grapes give their freshness. What the beholder finds in his pictures is not art per
se, but the joys of life enhanced by beauty. Comparing them with tasting and enjoying wine suggests that
appreciation and knowledge of art are not necessary when art truly comes from the heart - it provides us with a
sense with which to recognize whether the vintner has kept to the rules of the art of wine-making. We can taste
the wine without knowing the rules. The same applies to poetry, painting and in particular to Lehmann's graphic
art. It contains that kind of reality-mellowing essence without which life seems stale.
The new edition is a continuation of Bernd Lehmann's graphic Rilke cycle "Dir zur Feier" (16 original etchings
with a rose and poetry theme). It is presented in a bibliophile book-type case lined with velvet. The texts printed
on handmade paper were written by Dr Alexandra Hildebrandt, a literature historian and the head of internal
communications at the globally operating HeidelbergCement group (Central Europe West). Lehmann conceived
this latest wine project together with her and she also wrote the preface. For her Rilke radio play "Von einem,
der die Steine belauscht" (to be broadcast on 23 May 2003 by SWR 2 in the programme "vor Mitternacht" at 23.00 hrs) Lehmann designed the
CD cover for the recorded broadcast. Dr Hildebrandt's essay of the same name was published in March this year together with Lehmann's
etchings in the exclusive magazine "Literatur in Bayern" edited by Prof Dr Dietz-Rüdiger Moser (University of Munich).
The public's response to his major literary-graphic projects is remarkable. After his first edition featuring the natural scientist and romantic poet
Adelbert von Chamisso, literary experts immediately became aware of his
work at the Frankfurt book fair. Since then, yearbooks and specialist
magazines have publicized his work. They include "Athenäum. Jahrbuch
für Romantik", "Studia austriaca" (Milan), "Literatur in Bayern",
"Rabenflug" and "Campos".
He is especially fascinated by the theme of wine and Rilke: "It is as if
Rilke's poetry constructs a road through all countries of the world
connecting every vineyard and breaking up the ancient stone underfoot.
Rilke teaches us to observe and to read the signs of nature.
Grafisch-literarisches Projekt zum Thema Rilke und Wein.
Dr. Alexandra Hildebrandt
ist Nachhaltigkeits- und Wirtschaftsexpertin und berät Vorstände und Aufsichtsräte bei der Umsetzung von Nachhaltigkeits-und Kommunikationsstrategien.
Vom Präsidium des Deutschen Fußball-Bundes (DFB) wurde sie 2010 in die DFB-Kommission Nachhaltigkeit berufen. Sie studierte Literaturwissenschaft, Psychologie und
Buchwissenschaft und war viele Jahre in oberen Führungspositionen in der Wirtschaft tätig – bis 2009 als Leiterin Gesellschaftspolitik bei der Arcandor AG (KarstadtQuelle). Den
Deutschen Industrie- und Handelskammertag unterstützte sie bei der Konzeption des Zertifikatslehrgangs »CSR-Manager (IHK)«. Sie ist Herausgeberin und Autorin zahlreicher
Sachbücher. Zuletzt erschienen: »Welche Zeiten, in denen wir leben. Was erfolgreiches Unternehmertum ausmacht « (2010).
Gesichter der Nachhaltigkeit.
Herausgegeben von Alexandra Hildebrandt und Hauke Schwiezer. 440 Seiten. abcverlag Heidelberg 2013.
(c) Steffi Henn
Das kleine Weinjahr
mit Radierungen zu Rainer Maria Rilke
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