09.10.2009 | U.S. News, 100 Years Synthetic Rubber
LANXESS Corporation Challenges Artists with New Medium
“Unnatural Rubber” Exhibition Celebrates 100 Years of Synthetic Rubber
Pittsburgh, PA - Leading specialty chemicals manufacturer LANXESS Corporation is preparing to unveil a commissioned sculpture made out of synthetic rubber during the Unnatural Rubber exhibition opening next week at The Andy Warhol Museum, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of a revolutionary invention. On
September 12, 1909, Fritz Hofmann received a patent for the “industrial
production of synthetic rubber,” which transferred to LANXESS in 2004.
“The invention of Fritz Hoffman 100 years ago helped industrialize society
by literally setting it into motion,” said Randy Dearth, president and CEO of
LANXESS Corporation. “I am very proud that LANXESS is the heir to the
synthetic rubber patent and that we are able to celebrate in such an
innovative way, by merging science with art.”
Wheel of Fortune – the piece commissioned by LANXESS Corporation and
created by Hank Willis Thomas, Ryan Alexiev and Loren Madsen – takes
the form of a massive three-dimensional timeline of the production of
synthetic rubber over the past 100 years, coated in tire-tread with a
specialty tire rim at the end. The sculpture is made of tire rubber (60%
synthetic rubber). Events such as WWII, the Oil Embargo of the 70s, and
the Asian Financial Crisis (1998) can clearly be seen as a bump or dip in
the overall upward trajectory of rubber production.
“With tire treads as markers of time, Wheel of Fortune provides museum
patrons a rare chance to experience the passing of history in a physical and visual representation,” says artist Hank Willis Thomas. “The sculpture bears
witness to the ways in which a specific industry has been affected by global
events.”
Both Lehigh Technologies and Michelin Tires (Michelin Retread
Technologies XZY-1) donated rubber for Wheel of Fortune.
The Unnatural Rubber exhibition will be on view at The Andy Warhol
Museum from October 18, 2009 through January 31, 2010 and then travel
to other museums and LANXESS locations around the world.
The UnnaturalRubber.com website follows the exhibition and will feature
artist interaction along with a look at other pieces from the exhibition,
historical synthetic rubber information and artist submissions.
LANXESS produces hundreds of different grades of synthetic rubber
designed for a diverse range of applications, making it the manufacturer
with the broadest product range. With 100 years of experience in synthetic
elastomers, the company is also regarded as a technology leader and a
driving force in the industry.
About LANXESS
LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 5.06 billion in 2009 and currently around 14,300 employees in 23 countries. The company is represented at 43 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
Forward-Looking Statements.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by LANXESS AG management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
Information for editors:
All LANXESS news releases and their accompanying photos can be found at
http://corporate.lanxess.de/en/media/press-releases. Recent photos of the Board of Management and other LANXESS image material are available at http://corporate.lanxess.com/en/media/audio-video/.
You can find further information concerning LANXESS chemistry in our WebMagazine at http://webmagazine.lanxess.com.
