Press releases

Mobile water treatment plant as art object in Venice

Berkefeld technology at the Venice Biennale

Celle, 18 May 2011 - Drinking water is a subject that interests and affects people in many ways. The artist Ayse Erkmen has therefore made water the focus of her art object which will be shown as part of the Turkish contribution to this year's Biennale contemporary art exhibition in Venice. A mobile water treatment plant supplied by Berkefeld, a subsidiary of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, forms the centre of her presentation under the title'Plan B'. By means of the plant's interconnected components water from a canal will be treated in an exhibition room.

The 54th international art exhibition will be held in Venice from June to November this year. The renowned Turkish artist Ayse Erkmen has decided to use for her art object there a type BERU 4000/800 water treatment plant of Berkefeld. The plant's components, coloured according to a pattern defined by the artist, will be in operation for six months in a 300 sq. metre room. "That is a very unusual project for us," said Berkefeld Project Manager Christoph von Helldorff. "We are pleased that we may support this fascinating idea of Ayse Erkmen with our technology." The BERU 4000/800 plant, which among other operations was deployed in the flooded areas of Eastern Germany last year, consists of a pre-filtration with backflushing-enabled disc filters, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. It can supply about 4,000 litres of drinking water per hour.

Following the filtering the drinking water will be returned to the canal. With this installation under the title'Plan B', she will stage the complex relationship between city and water. At the same time, in this way the water circuit is to be portrayed as being similar to human blood circulation, the artist explained at a press conference in Istanbul. Ayse Erkmen will design the Turkish Pavilion with the plant This Pavilion at the Biennale, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), is sponsored by FIAT and is realised under the auspices of Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the contribution of The Promotion Fund of the Turkish Prime Ministry.

Ayse Erkmen was born in Istanbul in 1949 and studied sculpture at the State Aca-demy of Art in the Turkish capital. She graduated there in sculpture in 1977. In 1993 she received a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in Berlin. Her main focus today is on sculptures, objects, installations and interventions.

Berkefeld, a subsidiary of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, has for decades developed and produced mobile drinking water treatment plants which are used worldwide by aid organisations or the military. For instance, the plants supply drinking water for refugees or people affected by natural disasters or armed conflicts. Among other missions, Berkefeld plants were deployed following the earthquake on Haiti and the flood disaster in Pakistan.

Picture 1 + 2: This is how according to the guidelines of artist Ayse Erkmen the presentation of the Berkefeld water treatment plant in Venice is planned. Pictures: Ahmet Önder

Bild 3: Ayse Erkmen visits Celle to plan her art object in Venice together with Berkefeld Project Manager Christoph von Helldorff. Picture: Berkefeld VWS.

Corporate Profile

Berkefeld trades under the name VWS Deutschland GmbH and is a subsidiary of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies.

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies (VWS), subsidiary of Veolia Water, is a leading design & build company and a specialized provider of technological solutions in water treatment. With over 9,658 employees in 57 countries, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies recorded revenue of €2.15 billion in 2010.

Veolia Water, the water division of Veolia Environnement, is the world leader in water and wastewater services. Specialized in outsourcing services for municipal authorities, as well as industrial and service companies, it is also one of the world's major designers of technological

solutions and constructor of facilities needed in water and wastewater services. With 96,260 employees in 67 countries, Veolia Water provides water service to 100 million people and wastewater service to 71 million. Its 2010 revenue amounted to €12.1 billion.

Press contact:

BERKEFELD
VWS Deutschland GmbH
Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies
Stefan Jakubik
Press spokesman - Head of Marketing & Communication
Lückenweg 5, 29227 Celle, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 5141 803-174
Mobile: +49 (0) 151 12559226
stefan.jakubik@veoliawater.com
www.berkefeld.de