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AUCKLAND, NZ (April 18, 2011) – Thousands of visitors a year stop in the small Northland town of Kawakawa to go to the toilet, the main tourist attraction. The world famous public toilet was designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Built in 1998 with the help of the community, Hundertwasser transformed the town’s public toilets into a work of art. These are no ordinary toilets, they are arttoilets featuring inset glass and tiles, sculptures, a living tree, and a grass roof.

Kawakawa has become “Hundertwasserville” and a drive down the main street shows similar, fantastically sculptured columns and tile works. The artistic concepts of Hundertwasser with his utilisation of bright colours and organic forms, the rejection of straight lines (“the devils tool”) and a reconciliation of humans with nature with strong individualism, has become recognised through out New Zealand

With Hundertwasser’s artistic inspiration and utilising New Zealand made tiles, two Auckland tile installers, Chris Southern and Tom Koene in partnership with Middle Earth Tiles, the only commercial tile manufacturer in New Zealand, have established a business creating beautiful kitchens, bathrooms and outdoor areas, that are art pieces in their own right.

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Chris Southern worked with Hunderwasser installing the tiles at the Kawakawa toilets. He always wanted to use his experience and skills gained working with Hunderwasser to create similar “art pieces” for private clients. Three years ago working with Middle Earth tiles, he persuaded Jeff Roberts the owner that combined they could offer customers their own unique art piece in their homes. They called the concept “Organic Tiling”.

The concept has expanded and Chris has been joined by a master tiler, Tom Koene. Originally from Holland, Tom has taken the concept to a new level of artistic endeavor.

For many of Chris and Tom’s clients, accepting their designs has been a calculated risk. Yvette Thomas said “I had to take a leap of faith when it came time to do the tiling because I did not know exactly what the end result would be, but it was worth the risk”. Both her bathroom and kitchen have been tiled in this style, she said “I love it that these spaces are totally unique, they work in beautifully with the rest of the house and who we are as a family”.

Jennifer McGarry in commenting on a recent Tom Koene’s installation said “We now enjoy the experience of a bathroom that is a work of art. It is a beautiful design, colourful and uplifting. Our bathroom now gives ourselves and visitors an experience like entering a space in time that is inspiring as well as functional”.

While the original inspiration has come from Hunderwasser, Chris and Tom are creating a uniquely New Zealand experience of charm and frivolity in homes around Auckland. However their work would have been difficult without the large selection of coloured tiles and shapes made by Middle Earth Tiles.

Middle Earth Tiles is the only manufacturer of ceramic tiles in New Zealand. The factory is based in Warkworth and was established 30 years ago. The factory utilises local clays for making its tiles and makes over 50 different shapes with almost 100 colours. Managing Director Jeff Roberts is proud of Middle Earth Tiles growing international reputation for making beautiful tiles where it is gaining an international reputation. While sales and enquiries are mainly from Australia and USA, they are currently negotiating sales from Ukraine and Thailand.

For further information and copies of photographs of “Organic Tiling” projects or other Middle Earth Tiles:

Visit www.middleearthtiles.co.nz

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ENDS

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