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Lenzing AG: ARTISTS AT WORK

The competition "Artists at Work", organized by Lenzing AG, for students of the Academy of Fine Arts was held for the third time. Young artists were awarded prizes for a total amount of ATS 80,000.

On four days at the end of May, the 15 participating students were free to choose any subject to paint at the Lenzing factory site (buildings, production lines, people, etc.), under the guidance of Prof. Alois Mosbacher. Each participant presented five oil paintings (format 70 x 100 cm) to the jury, which consisted of representatives of Lenzing AG and the Academy of Fine Arts.

Art Meets Industry

Prof. Alois Mosbacher underlines that "contacts between art and industry help to remove threshold fears - students gain new insights into the working world, while the workers also get a better understanding for the works of the artists, which they learn to appreciate."

The three best-ranked art students were each awarded ATS 15,000 for their paintings. Six participants each received a prize of ATS 5,000; and there was also one special prize. In addition, Lenzing AG is buying one painting from each of the competition participants. The winners of the main prizes were Loretta Stats, who overlaid different factory views, Fabian Fink, who was the only participant to focus on the workers, and Mira Wagner, who produced neo-impressionist translations in delicate shades of color. The presentation of the works and the official prize-awarding ceremony will be held in the auditorium of the Academy of Fine Arts in December 2001. The precise date will be announced at a later date. Until then, the works are on display for viewing by Lenzing staff members at the Lenzesa cafeteria.

This type of art sponsoring has become a tradition at Lenzing. Heimo Schinko, initiator and organizer of the competition, is pleased to state that "this year's art project of Lenzing AG was once again a realization of the underlying idea, i.e. mutual enhancement: prize money and new experiences for the students, and art works for the company."