It's the final countdown... RED HEELS in front of the Rosa Schloss

It's the final countdown... RED HEELS in front of the Pink Castle

March 16, 2021

Last week we were able to visit Franken Apparatebau again and take a look. RED HEELS is almost finished and is waiting to be transported away. In our last countdown blog article today there is an interview with managing director and owner Wilhelm Franken.

Wilhelm Franken and his son Sebastian Franken © Franken Apparatebau GmbH

Dagmar Winkler: How and when did Ms. Kruft-Lohrengel approach you?

Wilhelm Franken: In autumn 2019, Ms Kruft-Lohrengel approached me and asked me to reconsider whether I would be willing to participate in the installation and production of the sculpture “Red Heels”.

DW: Were you immediately excited about the idea of the LUDWIGGALERIE getting a new sculpture?

WF: After the idea was explained to us in a further conversation with the artist Heiner Meyer, Dr. Vogt, Ms. Kruft-Lohrengel and the sponsors at the time, Klöckner and Franken, everyone involved was immediately very enthusiastic about carrying out the project.

DW: What steps were taken in your company to create the sculpture?

WF: At Franken Apparatebau, Heiner Meyer's 3D animation was taken apart and divided into 2D objects of the individual shoes. A rough cutting plan was created from this to determine the amount/number of square meters of sheet metal required to build the sculpture. A cutting program was created taking into account the information from the statics, and the welding points were also defined and prepared. The sculpture was then assembled, consisting of the base plate plus four shoes and the three upper shoes as a separate component. The components were then taken to the painter and then completely assembled by us. Assembly will take place as planned on March 19, 2021.

RED HEELS from a frog's perspective, 2021 © LUDWIGGALERIE Oberhausen Castle

DW: How did the collaboration with the other trades/companies involved (Klöckner, Diekmann, wefa, Spedition, etc.) go? Were you able to rely on tried and tested cooperations at times?

WF: The partners involved are almost exclusively those who know each other from their professional backgrounds, which has resulted in good cooperation and an optimal process.

DW: Did you have to overcome any unexpected obstacles at one point or another when implementing a production step?

WF: With large projects there are always unexpected obstacles that need to be discussed, organized and eliminated. The ever-growing circle of all those involved, initially consisting of two sponsors, Klöckner and Franken, has now grown to almost ten participants, all of whom are doing their part to make the project a success.

DW: How do you rate the local interest in culture among companies and craft businesses in Oberhausen?

WF: The enthusiasm is very great, not only among the Oberhausen partners, but also beyond the city limits, such as the Hövelmann forwarding company from Dinslaken and the Tiefenbach industrial painting company from Duisburg.

DW: What drives your commitment to art?

WF: The daily work at Franken is characterized by standards, rules and welding regulations. In this respect, everyone involved at Franken Apparatebau was enthusiastic about putting Heiner Meyer's creative idea into practice. I am personally very pleased that another landmark is being created in front of the LUDWIGGALERIE at Oberhausen Castle that will be seen and appreciated.

DW: How do you assess the future impact of the sculpture on the city?

WF: The RED HEELS is located on the busiest street in Oberhausen and is seen and admired by tens of thousands of drivers every day. The impact on the city of Oberhausen will certainly be very great.

DW: You worked closely with the creator of the artwork, Heiner Meyer, and with other representatives from the field of art and culture, namely the LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen. Was this a new experience in terms of collaboration for you?

WF: The enthusiasm of everyone involved to create something great shaped our mood during every conversation. We were very pleased to be able to contribute our project experience from our daily business and to optimize the manufacturing and assembly processes. Even the special conditions of the corona virus and the pandemic it triggered did not throw those involved off track. Everyone had the goal of presenting a new sculpture, a new landmark in Oberhausen, to the public on March 20, 2021.