Hemmoor is a place in Northern Germany where cement was produced. After production ceased in 1976, the quarry, now called the Kreidesee, filled with clear groundwater and became a popular diving spot. I always associated ‘Hemmoor’ with a name of a Metalfestival instead of a dive spot. That’s why my works for Hemmoor rather resemble metal music than diving. Although I’m not a Metal-fan I like the art which is often used on music albums.
The 9th of march I will go to Hemmoor for the 6th time. This time I tried to create a logo for a T-shirt which matched with Hemmoor as a metal festival.
I made my first decompression dive in the Kreidesee with Technical Diving College. I used their logo, made my version of it and called it Nitrogen Narcosis, because of the, sometimes unnoticed, narcotic effect you experience when you are deep under water. The green Murray I saw I lot when I lived in Aruba.
When I started with technical diving I had to learn a lot of new stuff. I loved words like Nitrox, Normoxic, but my favourite was Voodoogas. A gasmixture you don’t want to dive with. I used this word and combined it with elements of voodoo-stuff.
I started to call my Hemoor-reports the Hemmoor-series. In other (commissioned) artwork I became more serieus. The visits to Hemmoor are an exception. Hemmoor means no limits to creative thinking and imagination.
When I started to work out my ideas for Tecinator , I had two ideas. The first one I used for my Scapa Flow rapport. This version I worked out several years later.
During this period diver propulsion vehicles were very populair. Although I never bought one myself, I used this as inspiration for Ocean riders. I mixed elements of the bike culture into an underwater version.
I don’t ride a bike myself (and I never will) but I like to draw underwater bikers. So after Ocean Riders I came this version and there wile be more. To be continued.