“Magic Water”: Hansgrohe Calendar 2013

When Black Forest ingenuity goes hand-in-hand with a great passion for the life elixir of water, as is the case at Hansgrohe, then the outcome will be more than just innovative products. It has been exactly ten years now since the company started its tradition of working with well-known photographers to create a fascinating calendar each year. These calendars have already become coveted collectors’ items.

Shooting in New York – exhibition opening in the Black Forest
A recent photo shoot in New York was the scene for the creation of twelve motifs celebrating water as a precious element, the beauty of the human body and joy of life. Motifs to enjoy and admire – throughout the year 2013. The Hansgrohe Calendar Team was able to sign up U.S. people photographer Liz Von Hoene and the New York-based still-life photographer and designer Craig Cutler for the artistic realisation of the project. The photo motifs were presented for the first time on October 18, 2012 at the Hansgrohe Aquademie, the interactive visitor center of the sanitation specialist in Schiltach.

Casting, shooting, production – all in a highly creative atmosphere
In the preceding years, countries or regions had both served as a backdrop and set the theme for the Hansgrohe Calendar: Ibiza, the Black Forest, Namibia. This year the starring role is to be played by water itself – in its most beautiful forms. That was the brief. The choice of human actor fell on two models: Alisa and Andrei – two of the 40 models who qualified for the casting. They impressed not only with their positive attitude, but also – and especially – with their training as dancers. This is because the second requirement for these calendar motifs was that the movement of the water was to be combined with moments portraying the full dynamics of the human body in motion. The new Hansgrohe calendar was created in the famous Fast Ashleys Studios, located in a former port and commercial precinct in Brooklyn. The area on the Manhattan East Side is filled with a spirit of optimism, attracting start-up companies and young artists alike.


Innovative water fantasies – embodied by the models Alisa and Andrei
Liz Von Hoene has both the skill and the intuition to direct her protagonists in such a way that her images explode with charm – and sometimes also with slapstick humor. In working with the two models, the photographer proved to be both committed and sensitive. Our model Alisa (pictured right, Hansgrohe Calendar image for July 2013) charmed our team with her gentleness and with her elegant twists and jumps. And the powerful moves of the athletic Andrei were approaching Olympic standards. Liz has been working for years with Craig Cutler, a brilliant mind, not least in the field of digital image processing. Once the shoot was done, Liz handed over to Craig. The job of his team was first of all to bring movement into natural water, to capture photographically how it flows, splashes, drips and pearls.


A touching photographic story in twelve images
To combine the world of humans and the world of water harmoniously on the screen, to blend into one aesthetic whole: that was the artistic challenge set for Craig. And the New York artist pulled all the photographic registers and dug deep in his box of digital tricks. The results – the Hansgrohe Calendar production 2013 – are twelve powerfully emotive, magical images. Combined with the human bodies, the precious liquid tells stories: stories of water and of people. Stories of the joy of living we can experience standing under a Hansgrohe shower.

“In the hands of this artistic duo of Liz & Craig, the pleasure that water can provide us humans with became clearly visible" reports Joachim Huber, Head of Hansgrohe Brand Communication. “It is particularly pleasing that in developing the concept and design, we have been working with the same agencies for ten years now, namely ‘Werbung etc’ and ‘BwieBrucklacher.’ This creative alliance has allowed us to come up with successful and surprising productions that have been setting new benchmarks all along. For the joy and benefit of our customers.” They are the audience for whom the calendar is produced, after all.

At the official opening on October 18, 2012, and during the subsequent “Magic Water” exhibition scheduled to run at the Hansgrohe Aquademie in Schiltach until March 31, 2013, the calendar is available for purchase directly on site for 15 euros (as long as stocks last). The entire proceeds will be donated to Karlheinz Böhm’s aid project in Ethiopia “Menschen für Menschen” (“People for people”), where it is to be used to establish water wells in impoverished rural regions.