Charles Paul Wilp

Charles Paul Wilp (15 September 1932 in Berlin – 2 January 2005 in Düsseldorf) was a German advertising-designer, artist, photographer and short-movie-editor.

Study and career

After school at the humanistic Ruhr-high school and after studying at the Jesuit-father François Xavier in Vannes, Wilp went to the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris. He completed his wide-ranging education at the TH Aachen in synaesthesia, journalism, art and psychology. He was also student of Man Ray in New York.

Wilp developed a few of the most important advertisement campaigns of the 1960s and '70s: Puschkin („Wodka für harte Männer“, 1963), Pirelli and Volkswagen (VW-Käfer-Slogan: „Und läuft ... und läuft ... und läuft“). He was also an image consultant for major politicians, like Willy Brandt.

Aerospace and art

In 1960 Yves Klein declared Wilp as Prince of Space. Wilp's interest in aerospace influenced also his most famous campaign in 1968 for the soft drink Afri-Cola, Slogan: „Super-sexy-mini-flower-pop-op-cola – alles ist in Afri-Cola“
Famous models of 1960s like Marianne Faithfull, Amanda Lear, Donna Summer, Marsha Hunt were photographed behind windows with ice-crystals.

Artist's friends

The art-book "Dazzledorf" with samples also of a few of his artists-friends like Ewald Mataré, Yves Klein, Andy Warhol, Mel Ramos, Otto Piene, Heinz Mack, Günther Uecker, Joseph Beuys gives a good impression of the art and style of this artist. Wilp also had contact with the artists Michael (Mike) Jansen, Helmut Tollmann and Joe Brockerhoff.

Collection

Some of his photos can be found today in Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin.

Literature

Wilp, Charles, Dazzledorf. Photography and texts by Charles Wilp. (texts German, English, Japanese, Arabian)o.J. Wilp, Charles, Bundeskanzleramt. Inter Nationes, Bonn 1970, Wilp, Charles, Wilp-Girl 70 : Charles Wilp present 12 Playgirls aus 5 Kontinenten

Works

• Konsumrealismus, Documenta 5 in Kassel, 1972
• Kunstblätter „Blick aus dem All“, 26. April bis 6. Mai 1993 in Oberpfaffenhofen (aerospace-mission D2)

Film-documentation

• Der gelbe Wellenmacher. German TV-documentation by Klaus Peter Dencker, ARD 1977
• monks - the transatlantic feedback. A documentary film about Wilp's collaboration with the first avant-garde pop band The Monks, USA/Germany/Spain 2006

Discography

• Charles Wilp Fotografiert Bunny - (1965, Ata Tak)
• Michelangelo In Space - The Bunny Remixes - (2000, Ata Tak)

External links

• Wilps Website ART AND SPACE / crosx mirror
• http://www.fotogemeinschaft.de/v/fotografen/Klaus-Baum/documenta/charles+wilp+ulrike+lehmann_960_2.jpg.html
• http://www.fotogemeinschaft.de/v/fotografen/Klaus-Baum/documenta/charles+wilp+juergen+klauke+1000ra.jpg.html
• Wilp-Feature, shortlist 2005
• Musik von Charles Wilp
• Charles Wilp at Discogs

External links to Afri-Cola-campaign

• Historisches Afri-Cola Plakat
• Idea of the "afri-cola"-campaign

Persondata
Name	Wilp
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	15 September 1932
Place of birth
Date of death	2 January 2005
Place of death