FRANZ

Franz Fassbender was born in Germany, where he studied Graphic Design at the Werkkunstschule, Münster, and at the Folkwangschule für Gestaltung in Essen. Later he worked as an Art Director with several companies in Hamburg, before leaving for India.

Franz came to Pondicherry for the first time in 1972. In 1974 he settled in 'Fraternity' in Auroville, where he continues to live. Fraternity is located near Aspiration, where he worked at Auropress during his first few years. The Fraternity settlement is close to Aurelec, where he worked later as a graphic designer, looking after the publications, advertisements and printed material of the company.
To date, Franz is running a design, DTP and printing production unit in Auroville, called PRISMA.

Besides his commercial work, Franz has continued to work in graphic design and with other media in his spare time. This has led him to create, during his first years here, many illustrative drawings on Sri Aurobindo, the Mother and Savitri. More recently he has created a series of large silk quilts, their design inspired by Taoist paintings and concepts. His latest work is a series of collages inspired by his travels in the Far East, which bring back memories and inspire through the use of photos and paper cuts from that part of the world.

A short visit to the Kumbha Mela in Allahabad and Varanasi in early 2001 inspired him to present a photo-series of sadhus and other holy men, assembled at that time by the river Ganges.

Franz has previously exhibited in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Soest and Westerland-Sylt in Germany, and in Chennai and Auroville in India.

franz@auroville.org.in