Best of MyStylery

Livingroom: The painting by Mauritius (1987) shows Sigmund Loewe, the inventor of television next to the physicist Albert Einstein. Sofa by Living Divani, Vintage chair by Hans Wegner

A cool new building in Berlin, in the attic of the summerhouse there is a modern living room with several floors – Japanese Zen-garden inclusive. The man of the house is a bustling businessman, a cosmopolitan, who finds the balance to his intensive travel life in the growing of orchids. Of course with the appropriate greenhouse.

Internet Entrepreneur, author and Art Collector Hubertus Hoffmann – always busy

MyStylery: Growing of orchids is an unusual hobby for a metropolitan amid a metropolis like Berlin…
Hubertus Hoffmann: True. But these plants amaze me since the age of 16. It’s not about money or stocks, but about beauty and exotic. The greenhouse is my romantic little jungle.

Zen garden and green house on the roof top terrace

MS: Your roof garden is a little green dream. Was it the inspiration for the initiative “Green on the Roof”?
HH: Unfortunately there is less and less green in the cities, but huge, unused roof surfaces. Our target of more than 500 supporters of “Green on the Roof” is, to greening half of all roof areas over the next few years. This is technically feasible. Regrettably, the 100 year old, antiquated authority regulations are often in the way, they must be adapted to the needs of today.

Dining area and open kitchen with a portrait of Twiggy

MS: You lived in many international cities. Is there something you miss in Germany?
HH: A lot of the Germans often lack the humor, the airy. Same applies to their flats. Most of them are still fun-free zones and also stuffy.

The reception committee in the entrée is “revolution kitsch” from China. Andy Warhol’s “Cow” keeps an eye on it

MS: Apropos: You draped a funny welcoming committee in the hallway…
HH: …that is revolution kitsch from China. The porcelain-figures I spotted at a flea market in Hong Kong. Above Mao and Co hangs the pink cow from Andy Warhol, that’s a good contrast, isn’t it?

A special souvenir to Hubertus Hoffmann is the biker jacket of the Rolling Stones of one of their last concerts in the US

The photos of Keith Richards have been shooted by Peter Lindbergh

The guitar of the Rolling Stones signed by all band members

MS: Absolutely. What about the framed biker-jacket?
HH: This one’s from one of the last concerts of the Rolling Stones in the USA, beneath is a guitar from a Stones-concert. All members of the band signed it. But I also like the Bismarck-portrait from Lenbach from 1897, which I bought at an auction. Besides stands the officer sword of my father. Every piece has its relevance.

The Bismarck portrait was painted by Franz von Lenbach in 1897, below the officer’s sword from Hubertus father

The home office of Hubertus Hoffmann

MS: Which piece are you especially proud of?
HH: In 1988 I bought a poster from Gerhard Richter for 50 DM in my hometown Goslar by the Harz, when he got the Kaiserring. Back then he also signed the “candle” for me. Today the painting’s value increased a thousand-fold. I also really like my little African collection; especially the antique headman’s chair from Ethiopia or the headman’s jewelry, both pieces cost 700 Euros only.

Gerhard Richter has signed the poster “Die Kerze”

MS: A succeeded lifestyle is…
HH: …when the flat frames as an event, old and new, inexpensive and gallant being combined. My afternoon tea for example simply tastes best from the old Rosenthal-cups from my mother. Important to me are good photographs and paintings on the wall. Many have amazing furniture, but awful art or none at all.

The ensuite bathroom …

… is adjacent to the bedroom. In the background the limited Helmut Newton book “Sumo”

MS: From your point of view, what are furnishing-sins?
HH: TV’s. They are black holes which get bigger and bigger and start dominating rooms. I hang a picture in front of every TV-screen, which, if needed, moves to the side when pressing a button. Often flats are lumbered up. Furnishing should be easy with cozy snuggle-corners.

Art by Christo on the corridor …

… and so it turns to a gallery

MS: Is there an interior-investment, which you wouldn’t repeat?
HH: As a student I lived, probably like most, with Ikea-furniture. Not one piece lived through the years. Since all these years probably around 15.000 DM came about, which I should have invested in art or a good furniture piece. I can only advice against buying mass merchandise. Vintage-furniture and good photo-art however increase in value. By the way, the best deals can be made at online-auctions. BvH

The robot man by Nam Yun Paik

The staircase leads to the upper floor. Again the functional architecture convinced

In the gallery, the photographic work “Pope” …

… and “Dalai Lama”, both by Tom Lemke – created in collaboration with Hubertus Hoffmann – entitled “Champions and The Art of Tolerance”

On the upper floor there is the guest area

A great mix of art and souvenirs

African Art and a photographic work by Michael Poliza

Painting by A.R. Penck

Humor may not be missing in the interior: The figures are flea market finds from Hong Kong. Hubertus bought “Angie” in Berlin. Love it!

For more information

about “Grün aufs Dach” (green on the roof) on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gr%C3%BCn-aufs-Dach/1565000283717883?fref=ts

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The Living Room; On the left the painting “The Wall”. To get it into the house, a door and its frame had to be expanded

What do Berlin’s VIP Stylist Udo Walz, TV-Lady Sabine Christiansen and former US President Bill Clinton have in common? All of the above own a painting of the artist Freddy Reitz. For 17 years the German-American and her family have been living in a 1928 built mansion, seemingly english lodge, in Berlins district Zehlendorf. Being brought up in Dallas, the fervent Cowboy Boots and Converse wearer adresses the East-West issues in her works, in which apart from the famous Heinz Ketchup Bottle the American Flag is strongly represented. Recently seen in a special edition for the marque Smart.

The artist Freddy Reitz in the Entrée of her Berlin home

MyStylery: Congratulations! Your painted Smart is soon to be seen in the Daimler Museum in Stuttgart.
Freddy Reitz: Thank you. It is the first art car produced in series.

“The Wall” – a throwback to the wall – was built within three years. The red star next to it – also from Freddy Reitz – symbolizes the Russian sector

Even the guest room shows its colors

MS: You often use the US Flag as a theme. Can this be seen as a triubte to your home?
FR: Yes, amongst other things. It is a form of confession and pride. Americans are patriots to the core. Even before 9/11 the US Flag is the greatest good, and Freedom. I have never understood that there are people which still wish for the DDR.

Sculpture by Hede Buhl and the work “Cokebox” by Freddy Reitz

Helmut Newtons „Sumo“-Book, „Love Guns“ by Arne Quinze (2008)

MS: In your home there are, besides artists like Rainer Fetting, Hede Bühl or Arne Quinze, a lot of your own paintings…
FR: …as, for example, „The Wall“ which is so huge, that we had to remove the door and doorframe to get it into the house. I can’t have enough paintings of my own around me. But, I especially love Arne Quinze’s „Love Guns“ who I got to meet in Miami through Barbara Becker. However, I had to promise not to remove the Guns from the boxes (laughing).

Figures of the French wall-painter Thierry Noir, which are owned by Freddy Reitz for more than 20 years

Infront of the artwork “troubleshooters” by Freddy Reitz, a bronze sculpture by Karl Hartung (1948) on an art deco sideboard. On the left the World Cup football 2014, signed with all players signatures

MS: In your works as well as your home the color red is very dominant. How come?
FR: Red is multifarious and emanates comfort. I would not be able to live in cool, designer rooms. I need a surrounding in which my soul can rest.

Still life in the living room

The view into the garden from the library

“Red Star” by Freddy Reitz

Freddy Reitz’ “Coke-Boxes” and the tablelamp “Table Gun” by Philippe Starck – it is modeled on a Kalashnikov, an invitation to peace

MS: You studied communcation sciences before you discovered painting on a proffesional basis…
FR: …just because my parents didnt support me in my art at first. I have always painted, and enjoyed it. When I had my daughter, my first easel was standing in the restroom, I later on moved on to the bathroom. I don’t work there anymore though (laughing).

For her Coke-box projects in 2007, the passionate Pepsi drinker Freddy Reitz donated a neighboring school pallets of Coke to work with the empties

Freddys artwork “Crazy Ketchup” in the diningroom

MS: There are a lot of people who feel like artists, but not everyone is successful.
FR: I was lucky. 1999 Udo Walz comissioned a 180 x 220 cm big work. That was my breakthrough. What followed were exhibitions in the Dresdner Bank, in Zurich, Miami, New York etc.

On the side tables in the masterbedroom are table lamps from Philippe Starck

MS: You passionately wear Cowboy Boots. How many pairs do you own?
FR: I probably have around thirty pairs. I wear them preferably unconventional with an evening gown and a denim jacket. With that specific look, I managed to get into the column „sonderbar“ (weird) of the magazine „BUNTE“. BvH

Freddy Reitz is an enthusiastic cowboy boot-wearer …

… but also loves the model “All Stars” of Converse

The chair “Nobody is perfect” is the prototype of a now successful series of small individually painted furniture

View into the kitchen

Freddy Reitz with one of her Birkin-Bags from Hermès. Others are waiting to be painted

In the studio of Freddy Reitz: the artist has painted the stool, bench and Hermès bag

Contact:
www.freddyreitz.com

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