Heis addressed as Master in every language, and behind his back many "just refer to him as the Myth. According to many, Willi Geller, the world's leading dental ceramist, is one of the last authentic representatives of the vanishing age of handicrafts. The hand-painted ceramic teeth he produces are in a class of their own.

 

When Willi Geller entered this vocation close to half a century ago, he introduced revolutionary changes almost at once. Instead of the "production" of teeth with the same colour and form, i.e. on a single pattern, thought in completely different terms. Some of the first ceramists realised that teeth reflect and diffract light, so ceramic dentures should behave in a similar way under the influence of natural light. He therefore used layering of porcelain powders of differing densities, in varying colours, also paying heed to the differences in the degrees of opacity.

 

 We visited Willi Geller in his Swiss laboratory. After we had settled in the dental technician designer's lounge, innovatively furnished with exceptional taste, the master checked out the latest issue of Labline, leafing through it with interest for an extended time.

 

By Hungarian standards, this paper is revolutionary- Will Geller began the conversation. - It is well designed, the printing is very good quality, in other words Labline is a very modem professional journal with a completely new style and approach. It is incredible that Hungary should come forward with a paper of such volume "just like that with a Hungarian dental technician owner at the forefront, without traditions, practically from nothing. Though perhaps an idea like this has to come from somewhere where there are no precedents. Not to mention the fact that this publication also communicates weighty cultural values. After all, the dentists and dental technicians do not just "talk shop', but they can also read interviews, verses and reports of an artistic standard. Dental art also has a place in the paper, and noteworthy, extra-fine graphic designs run through the pages. Besides this, the most important international players in the dental technician's profession are also introduced in the magazine. I fancy I have found a lot of acquaintances, which is no coincidence, as l often have the feeling that we in the profession are a big farmily. A type of lifestyle, or zest for life can be observed on every single page of Labline. And what I also really like in the paper, is that i see and feel the craftsmanship in it, which always raises the dignity of this fine profession.

 

According to László Németh, the owner of the paper, Hungarlan dental techniclans generally view dentistry through the cross section of a tooth. His aim with Labline was to expand this perspective.

Dental technicians are in reality short sighted, but this results from the nature of their work. For this reason I have banned my colleagues from using microscopes.

 

 Meanwhile László Németh explains that he recently showed a young dental technician a wonderful job in order for him to draw inspiration from it, but the young boy started to look at the professional solutions, for instance, how the tissura had been done. So he did not see the whole, and could not "enjoy" what he saw.

 

 In other words, his range of vision" had been ruined by the microscope?

 Maybe the fit will not be microscopically perfect, but that is not the point. And the young will never see that through a microscope.

 

Willi Geller, who could even be Geller Vilmos in Hungarian.

I was born close to you, but l am Austrian, some 73 years ago. There are Hungarians everywhere in the world, by the way, who always remain Hungarians. The Hungarian people never loses its identity. That's why I can always find common ground with them. And they have a huge heart. Perhaps that is why the "average" Hungarlan is not so successful - but that may be just my experience.

 

 I think differently. The Hungarian people is extremely alented in my opinion. If we just think of János Irinyi (matches), József Pulitzer (Pulitzer Prize), László Bíró (ball point pen), Albert Szentgyörgyi (vitamin C), Ernő Rubik (Rubik's cube), Ede Teller (hydrogen bomb).

 I am talking about average people. They are constantly fussing around, but they do not achieve anything really significant

During World War II the committee dealing with the development of the American atom bomb was chaired by General Groves. Apparently when he went out to the washroom during one of the sessions and the scientists were left to themselves, Ede Teller spoke up: "Perhaps we may now continue in Hungarian!"

 

 

According to geneticist Dr. Endre Czeizel, in comparison with the peoples of the world we are really not so outstandingly talented these days.

I allow myself to make remarks like this because the relationship of Austria to Hungary is different from that of the Swiss, and I am

a native Austrian, I grew up a few klometres from the Swiss border. I come from a family of craftsmen, my father was a carpenter, but alongside this he taught technical subjects in secondary school, and my mother was a housewife and MOTHER, written in capital letters. For me a talent in handicrafts still today counts as a blessing from God. In fact, nowadays in particular, as more and more we are living in a virtual world, which is largely defined by communications and the media. Being close to nature and to man has always been very important to me I love materials, tangible things, and real human relationships. A gaze stuck on a monitor, or the impersonalness of a mobile telephone is not my world. What I appreciate more is, for instance, a conversation, a real presence, because it springs from my philosophy of life that the conversation partner is always important, or that we can only really feel and see each other face to face. There is no means of communication in the world which is more important than this!

 

 Internet?

Even I cannot live today without this tool, unfortunately. Because of information, keeping in contact, and other important functions the worldwide web is indispensable for me too, but all the same, I am amazed that the young people who work for me are not at all keen on It, although they have grown up with It.

 

Perhaps creativity and free thinking are so strongly present in your aura that this craftsman's approach also has an effect on those working here. 

I feel a little responsible for this too, as it certainly cannot be easy to think differently in my restricted environment.

 

 Who and what influenced you to become a dentaltechnician?

 My brother was a member of a salling club, and in this club I met a dentist blessed with artistic sensitivity. My brother was quite uncertain about his future at this time, and this dentist then suggested that he should become a dental technician. When we discussed this at home, my brother decided that this profession was not for him. He noticed my enthusiasm, though, and suggested that I should choose the dental technician's vocation. I accepted his advice I studied in Baden, in a dental school. People were admitted to this school from all over Austria, and there were around 40 of us in my year. In one year we attended three months of theoretical training, and spent the rest of the time in labs.

 My boss, who I was finally a student with, loved me very much, perhaps better than his own son, It often happened that I would pedal home from the lab at 3 in the morning, but I was back again at 8. This period meant a great deal to me, both humanly and professionally. I was fortunate to be able to work alongside a man like that, and I was happy, because I was studying and doing what I loved the best. When my years as apprentice were complete and i left, two years later my master died, very early, unfortunately. It is interesting that since then his son has turned up every now and again in my life. I know from him how much I meant to his father. That's a very good feeling. But what I liked the best, was what  he said in farewell: Wili, you were always different, but you haven't changed at all!

 

 

 How long did you stay in Austria?

I lived in Austria until I was 20. After school, like young people in general, I wanted to go to America, but arranging for a visa took so lang that I lost patience wanting for it Not long after my apprentice years, l ended up in Graz-my heart drew me there, and this love was stronger than anything else. Then I got a specific offer from Switzerland. I was young and ambitious, and I very much liked what I saw here. The demands made on the profession were very high in this country, after all, at that time dentistry had no national insurance backing at all. As everyone paid for the services associated with this from their own pockets, expectations were higher. This was a kind of challenge for me, so l got stuck here.

 

 Was there any continuation to the Graz love?

 Of course, she became my wife. My son was born in 75. And I have two granddaughters. By the way, we did not bring up my son in an authoritarian manner, because at that time we thought that liberal values represented an excellent alternative compared with how we had been raised, of which in any case we considered nothing to be modern, indeed, both of us thought that in the lang term it was not at all effective. Mcanwhile, the cutback of authoritarianism commanding respect was underway in the whole world, and we applied this deliberately in the family. In any case, this reformation, this process of escaping from the old ways also settled on the profession. We were liberalised everywhere. And isn't life interesting?i My son is now 38 years old, and what we consciously wanted to avoid with him just didn't work he became just as conservative as we tried to fight against with our educational methods, The lesson from this is that the demands and needs of the generations are difficult to reckon into educational concepts.

 

When and in what connection did you start to think differently in the dental technology field?

I spent 10 years in a lab, the leader of which was an outstanding professional of Italian extraction, In casting, In routing, in mechanical manual work he can be reckoned a genuine grand master. At that time, aesthetics did not have such significance as it does now. He always left the concealment and the aesthetic fashioning to me,  because he could see this was my field, which I could really do, that I could easily meet the challenges. We could make innumerable variations from plastic at that time. We were much better then in plastic aesthetics than in the ceramics field, as that was just starting out on its campaign of conquest. The experience we acquired in the plastics field first had to be invented for ceramics. In the 60s and 70s, dental technology was characterised by a great many things demanding creativity and waiting to be discovered, this was a period of great opportunities. I subsequently booked this down to a kind of luck, as I got numerous opportunities to invent newer and newer solutions. I actually just let things happen to me. What greatly contributed to this zest for life, and indeed strengthened all this, were the political movements. The change was perceptible, not only in the social and community areas, but also in music and philosophy. This was a very happy period in my life.

 

 

 

 Was the appearance of creative art in your life a "side ef-

 fect' of creativity?

 At that time I did welding, and stone carving, or I tried to find my way in that branch of art. This attitude greatly alded my work, as

whoever wanders into these arcas can offer something extra in his work too. Though my confidence as an artist was not so strong, I was aware of my limitations. My receptivity to art did increase, though, so l changed my means of expression and found myself in a different territory. I began to collect works of art. Collecting is at least as interesting as creating something, in fact, art collectors are often crazier than artists. I chiefly buy paintings. It's interesting, but I generally think in 3D, and statues lie closer to my soul, but it is also a question of money, of course.

 

 What kind of relationship did you have with dentists at that time?

 In those days the dentist was regarded as a professor. he was lord of life and death. This was when authoritarianism was strongest. On he other hand, it is also true that such outstanding personallties as those l knew then can be encountered much more rarely today. And they had fought for their respect, after all, they were polyhistors of the medical community. They were involved in the arts, and were constantly educating themselves. I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to work together with highly qualified dentists with such broad vision at that time. I really had to grow up to reach their stature - and day by day they proved that it was worthwhile. I had to keep in step with them professionally, as this was the only way I could really develop! They did not want to force anything on me, they did not want to control me, and they did not want to impose their own ideas on me, they just let me proceed at my own pace, and find the solutions by myself. They allowed my inherent ability to blossom, I am very grateful for that. Nowadays, unfortunately, young  people tend to submit themselves to certain political, economic and professional streams. That is why they cannot move forward.

 

And what is your relationship with dentists like now?

It's a sad situation, but a large number of those I worked together with are retired, or have departed. I have no mobile telephone, but if anyone wants to work with me, they can find me I let myself "be used". Which I am very glad to do, by the way.

 

 

How did you get the idea for Oral Design?

When I got that idea, I regarded dentists as collaborative partners. It really did seem like provocation at the time, as the relationship between the dentist and dental technician was not at all of equal rank. I turned this around. I organized lectures, courses and conferences where dental technicians and dentists would move in the same sphere. The first question I asked myself in this regard was: in a social sense, what is not in balance in our profession? Even then I thought that the dental technician and the dentist should be regarded as my right and left hands. The one requires the existence of the other, and it is only together that they are capable of great things. I was interested in art and design too. I was also affected by movements in art and architecture. l asked myself a few important questions where is a dental technician situated in this world, and what is his role? What values does he communicate? After all, we are not Just' dental technicians, but designers, Le. creative personalities too. And design has an effect on our environment, shapes our everyday lives, and bears a message. Indeed, design affects the quality of life, so It also has aesthetic value. This is what occupied me greatly at that time, and it still does. These are the thoughts which nice and slowly brought Oral Design into being.

 

 Who did you want to gather under a single banner with in Oral Design?

 I like to surprise my environment. My very first great sensation was when I projected 6 x6 meter slides on the wall during a lecture, as the first In the professional I Just showed a mouth and teeth. At that time Tanaka and Yamamoto were already defining a trend in the profession. Professor Asami Tanaka was a great man and a great performer. When l first met him there was no mention of Oral Design, Just my photos of Iips. We were at a congress in Düsseldorf, when such a storm broke out that I had to interrupt my lecture, because the rain was flowing across the stage. The next day the whole morning was given to Tanaka, but the attendees wanted to listen to my lecture too, so Tanaka offered me enough of his own time to finish he lecture. This was a huge honor for me at that time, not to mention the Incredible success which accompanied my presentation. It was as if I had not taken part in a dental technology lecture, but a tempestuous theatrical production. Stupendous emotions were set loose, which for me was a totally new experience. It was actually Tanaka who introduced us (Yamamoto, John W. McLean and me) to the world. Even so, this appreciation directed just at me was not satisfactory for me. I know that the question was about the start up

 of Oral Design, but these memories are all linked with this subject.

 

With respect to Oral Design, what was the crucial moment?

The first very important momentum in my life from a professional point of view was in connection with a poster. In 1978, I put my

initials on one of the posters of the world-famous VITA Company, I deliberately did not think big, I just placed W.G. in the lower right corner, in order to make people curious. My other aim with the initials was to arouse the pride of dental technicians, by sending this message to them and to dentists: we are not anonymous, After that

 

What does design mean to you?

For me design is the type of art which creates or fashions something for

everyday use.

 

According to this, dental technicians are also designers, as besides function, productivity, material, durability and price-value ratio, designed aesthetic appearance is also incredibly important today.

That's right. And all these together lie very close to art. This kind of creative freedom cannot be taken away from dental technicians.

 

Why do dental technicians and dentists like to belong to Oral Design?

When dental technicians are working, they depend very much on themselves, they are lonely and alone, in contrast to dentists who are much more organized. In this group, belonging somewhere is attractive. doesn't matter where they come from, they have something in common: they come here at 8 o'clock in the morning, they work, then O o'clock in the evening they go home and go to bed. They are interested only and exclusively in the profession. When we start talking either at a congress or on the occasion of a meeting, after a while we always agree not to say another word about teeth. 5 minutes later, the discourse 's once again on the subject of teeth. This is somehow really nice, and a very good feeling

 

Dentists may be much better organized, but this is probably no coincidence, because the creativity of dental technicians

would be destroyed by excessive regulation.

Perhaps. Indeed. And maybe without suffering there really is no creativity. Dental technicians walk a lonely road, but many Ideas are let loose while they're working.

 

Besides your everyday activities, what makes you happy?

Sailing. A ship is a special experience.I have a regatta speed yacht, built at the turn of the century. It is specifically a racing yacht. Others strip everything from a yacht to make it as light as possible. I however, had an engine installed, which may be a disadvantage because it makes me heavier, but I can set sail whenever I want to. I am not equipped with modern electronics either, which Is also a disadvantage from the point of view of competition, but It is an advantage for me, because no-one disturbs me. Members of most of the ruling houses of Europe have raced in this noble yachting class, for instance the Prince of Denmark.

It not an open class, the 'members" are selected on the basis of prestige and nobility. Perhaps this is why every member has come to be strictly monitored. There is a yacht race this in Hungary, the Tramontana, which has recently been restored, a beautiful classic specimen, 8 meter. 168MR Classic type yachts built between 1902 and 1949 are registered on Lake Constance, and there are a few 6mRs, Ike mine. Separate races are held for the yachts of different lengths In this yachting dass. The 6-8-12 meter  championships are the most well known. The name of my yacht is Myth. This is what my Italian colleagues call me, so on the one hand I named the yacht after myself, and on the other, the ship is so old that its history already becoming a legend. Races are held every year in St Tropez, in England and in Sweden, all the yachts are officially registered. always sail my yacht alone. Incidentally, if there were any trouble, this type of yacht would sink bencath the waves within 20 seconds. In the harbour where I keep my yacht, I leave the Ignition key in but it would never even occur to anyone to steal t. In this sport, trust is a basic expectation.

 

How did the brand name "Creation, Will Geller"  pop Into your head?

This designation did not pop Into my head, as I just wanted Creation. The reason my name was finally featured alongside Creation is because without this it could not be copyrighted. The story is rather complicated, I had a schoolmate in the Baden days, and he had a friend. They started talking about how we should do something with ceramics. Then they visited me once and introduced me to Dr. Schmidt a dentist born in Vienna and Living in Liechtenstein, who had come specifically because he wanted to cooperate with me. His offer went in one ear and out the other, I hardly listened to him, the matter did not really take my fancy at the time. Later on, we met again in the Hilton, and this same subject came up. It was an interesting situation, because Dr. Schmidt once again nailed me with the question, then he went out to the washroom, so l was left on my own with the friend of my Baden classmate, who had introduced me to this dentist. While we were waiting for him, he suddenly asked me why the two of us shouldn't do the without the dentist. This is how Creation was launched. We started doing experiments, modifying the material composition, bur even then the thought did not solidify, we had no idea that a serious undertaking was being brought to birth. Creation emerged step by step, until the time came for us to found a company. By then there were four of us. it turned out that founding a company cost 100,000 francs. At this. just two of us were left, according to the original alignment. After a couple of days my newly-acquired associate wanted to talk to me, so I thought he wanted to get out too, but that is not what happened. He asked to borrow 30,000 francs, for 3 months l lent it to him, and in spite of the fact that i was still not convinced it was a good idea, we founded the company He did pay the money back, but after that, light dawned on a number of problems. Although we got on well together in human errs, he never negotiated, never went abroad, just I had international Contacts in connection with my foreign courses, so the proportions were not healthy. At the beginning all l asked him to do was to sign he papers, and I would do the rest. The first dealer to sell our ceramics was an Italian. I hadn't even shown him what it was all about, he just said It doesn't matter what you're offering. Willi, it's sure to be good, I'll market it. My partners trusted me in general, after all I've never cheated anyone And nice and slowly the company began to grow. This has been going on for more than 25 years now.

 

 

How much time passed between the idea and itsrealisation?

Two years. When the company was set up, Creation and manufacturing were underway in two different areas. Manufacturing was in Austria, but the office was always in Switzerland. This was primarily for taxation reasons. In time, this became two companies. By today we can be reached all over the world. But the appearance of Creation on the market was also a very important, decisive moment, not only in my life, but also in terms of the future of dental technology. After all, in 1988 Creation, as a small company, a little 'nobody, broke the monopoly of the great. Until then the market had been dominated exclusively by mammoth companies, and Creation was the first to knock a hole in this wall This succeeded so well that the big companies also advertised Creation from time to time, for instance by promoting their own products in this way. "This too is just as good as Will Geller's."  But come with me and I'll show you what represents the greatest happiness for me. 

We follow Willi Geller into the cellar of his fantastic Swiss residence.

 

Do you like people?

Yes, but I lIke being alone the best Unlimited freedom can only be given to us by solitude. And solitude is nothing other than the heightened presence of ourselves. You can fill the whole universe with it, and you have no need of anyone else It helps you to change and develop into a true Individual Solitude inspires, as you can set off in any direction. You can fashion a totally unique esoteric world for yourself. Alongside this, I really do like people, together with all their weaknesses and positive attributes.

 

We proceed through a well appointed room past a bar, then a projection room, and finally arrive in a room with an unusual atmosphere, where there is nothing other than a rug and gymnastic rings fixed to the ceiling

This s where I meditate. Since discovering the depths of myself, I have been in a very happy and joyful state of consciousness. The majority of us live in a world of desires. We have no time to plunge deeply into ourselves We really need t make time for this, because it's worth it Believe me lam the happiest in and with myself.  When the mind relaxes and becomes buoyant, that is truly a healing state Meditation has radically altered my quality of life, and has helped me to remain at peace throughout the day, and to retain the energy thus acquired. The road which led here was certainly long. And moderate physical exercise is at least as important

 

Wili Geller grasps the rings and demonstrates what kind of  coordination exercises he usually does. After that we go up to the lab, where all the windows overlook the garden, and the ceiling of every room is decorated with wonderfully restored frescoes. This is where the technicians work. He Switches on a little iPad and starts a motion picture. At the beginning I was waiting for the 'story" to continue, but there was no need. The motion picture spoke for it self.

A young man had me fix his teeth, then he made me a film, as a gift t then turned out that at 73 years old I can still learn something from a young 24 year old artist who inspires me makes me think, and gives me vision. This is the film that I show at the end of each one of my lectures. And everyone just stares, and stares at it in amazement. finish my lecturers early, to allow a little time for discussion. And this little film always starts something oft Every time.

 

 

And we just stare, and stare at it. In the film we just see an open mouth, which keeps filling up with water, then the

excess water continuously runs out at the corner of the mouth.

There are so many unnecessary things in our lives, so many unnecessary things that we chase after and buy. This little film speaks against a wasteful society. Financial security IsJust a small part of the whole of life, which does not make us happy after we reach a certain standard. And the best antidote to wastefulness is awareness. And there are so many things which are more important even than this: Inner peace, love, time spent together lam very pleased that you were here in my home.