Interviews with Ulrike Heydenreich
Heydenreich folds, cuts, draws
Part 4
Technique and craftsmanship
The beauty of the material
Ulrike Heydenreich owns an extensive collection of old panoramas, postcards and photographs – She speaks lovingly of the beauty of all these materials, the fragility of old paper or the ideal bluntness of the old children’s knife she uses to create sharp folds in the paper.
Assembling a new whole
These are the kind of historical materials that Ulrike Heydenreich collects and uses as the starting point for her work. Her Fundstücke (Finds), for instance, are meticulous compositions consisting of one or more pieces made by folding the panoramas. ‘I combine them to form a single work with multiple layers. I assemble a new whole from different parts.’
Developing her craft skills
Her studio is also home to the preparatory models for those Fundstücke (Finds), with their sharp, rhythmic folds of white paper. Ulrike calculates the height of the folds and the composition of the whole with great precision before beginning to manipulate the original panoramas.
‘Having worked with paper for so many years, I almost always know how to go about it. I sense that I have the skill in my fingers – like a craftsman, a bookbinder almost. And it feels really good: drawing the lines, making folds. I know exactly how deep to score the line of the fold with a blunt knife so that the paper won’t tear.’ She has perfectly mastered the use of her tools. ‘I enjoy it: developing my craft skills gave me the freedom I need to work with such old paper.’