Did you know that the word FELLOPLASTIKA means the art of carving on the cork?
(Greek, from phellos – a cork (cork), and plastike – plastic or art reproduce the elegant forms of clay, gypsum and various other soft substances).Art according to the dictionary of foreign words, included in the Russian language. Chudinov AN, 1910. “Felloplasty is used, mostly, for cutting out the building models.”
German artist Feploplast Dieter Kölen (Cöllen) creates incredible in its authenticity and filigree models of ancient structures of cork. In the beginning, it was difficult for him to establish a manufacturing technology – after all, his teacher – Richard Duburg – died 300 years before Dieter. Three of his cork models are exhibited in the underground museum “Praetorium” (“Praetorium “) in the old part of Cologne. One of them, a copy of the Capitol temple (the Capitol is one of the most luxurious buildings in Cologne) is the largest (1.60 m) cork model in the world.
No less striking are the cork models of the pyramid of Cheops, the temple of Poseidon and the temple of Vesta in Tivoli, made by Dieter Kölen.
From the beginning of the eighties of the last century, Dieter was engaged in a manufacturing of the architectural and construction objects. The cork studio of Dieter Kölen has existed since the 90s, when the attention of the artist was attracted by an old good cork. In the process of searching for new materials and technologies, Dieter rediscovered for himself and the whole world the forgotten art of phalloplasty – carving on the cork. Here, his experience of architectural modeling was useful, and Dieter managed to uncover the secrets of phalloplasty and revive this amazing art.
Cöllen does not complain about the lack of orders .His works are in demand and popular. He restores existing cork models and creates new ones that will last at least 300 years with good care. Large projects are produced exclusively to order. In his personal funds, however, there are jobs that can be purchased. “Cork is a living and tangible material. It creates history, “says Dieter Cöllen .”When people look at my models with the same surprise, like the pyramids of Cheops, wondering: how did I do that, I will assume that my work was a success.”