About THE BASIS OF MAKE-UP
"The Basis of Make-Up" (Die Basis des Make-Up) is an ongoing series of more than 600 drawings Heinz Emigholz is working on since 1974. "Originals" of the drawings do not exist, they only serve as intermediate steps in the production of "original prints". These are archival photo prints (20 x 24 inch) of the drawings in a limited and signed edition of 22. The prints are sold by several galleries.
Different versions of the series and installations of the drawings have been exhibited over the last 25 years internationaly in many galleries and museums. Since 1975 many drawings have been reproduced in countless magazines, newspapers, catalogues and books.
The title page of the series, a photograph of a scull, has been found by Heinz Emigholz in San Diego 1975 in a handbook about make-up techniques from the 30es. The caption under the image read "The Basis of Make-Up", and became immediately the title of the series, as well as of several of his films since then.