hauptsache man hat arbeit
 
My first job is to do an oil painting of the ContiTech trade fair stand at the Hanover Tradeshow. Our stand is six metres high and opposite the gear wheel factory Zahnradwerk Pritzwalk GmbH. The stand of the Zahnradwerk Pritzwalk GmbH is light blue, ours is orange, while that of the Fundiciones Aizpurua has no particular colour at all. I am asked whether trade fair stands are boring to draw in comparison to scenes of nature or animals. An employee responsible for hiring engineers commends me for the bravery of indulging in a profession like mine. The neighbour from Fundiciones Aizpurua speculates that ContiTech must be a very big, rich company if they could afford to have themselves drawn! The Spanish produce wheels. They polish their bronze wheels and display them as if they were pieces of jewellery. When they don't have anything else to do they walk around their stand and admire the shine. Or invite me over for some wine and ham.   Drawing trade fair stands makes a good impression, I think. Companies try to poach me. Most think I am a specialized trade fair stand painter who has found a market gap and they encourage me to go into the business big style. When the Dutch Minister President drops in, the unfinished picture is put on its easel in the corner of the little separée he has been invited to.
I am asked if I mind drawing a trade fair stand. One person says they feel sorry for the picture, which even though nice has to represent a trade fair stand.