Charles Paul Wilp


Charles Paul Wilp 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 1970s: Puschkin, Pirelli and Volkswagen. 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 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. o.J.
Wilp, Charles, Bundeskanzleramt. Inter Nationes, Bonn 1970,
Wilp, Charles, Wilp-Girl 70 : Charles Wilp present 12 Playgirls aus 5 Kontinenten

Works

His native town Witten has just established a Charles Wilp museum called "Charles Wilp Space".