The Haniel Collection

This comprehensive illustrated volume presents selected works from the Haniel Collection. The main focus of this unique collection is on Art Informel, an artistic movement that emerged in the postwar recovery years of the 1940s. Economically, the restoration of liberty and renewal of hope ultimately flowered in the form of the German Economic Miracle; in the visual arts, these same attributes gave birth to Art Informel, a free painting style that emphasized intuition and the feelings of the moment. In looking back on this era, the Duisburg-based company Haniel saw in this movement a visual counterpart to its own rise. This recognition of a parallel development in art and business formed the starting point for the company’s art collection. Just as the company has expanded its portfolio over the past decades, the collection too has developed and grown. Today, it also includes more recent artists whose works embody the ideas of Art Informel - such as the British artist Damien Hirst. The Haniel Collection is the company's constant companion in its day-to-day operations: works of art are to be found in the halls and conference rooms of the corporate headquarters in Duisburg, and in the employees’ offices as well. The paintings, graphics and sculptures are intended to inspire us to unconventional solutions. In this way, art has gradually become an integral component of the corporate culture.