ZEITFLUSS – flow of time / time river: part of the group show ViewPoints

Landscape photography encourage the viewer to be enchanted with the recognition of the places depicted, giving us the illusion that it is a simulation of ordinary seeing. Yet, not only do photographs show a particular place in time, but they also show a particular stretch of time – the exposure time at least. This time may be a moment (a decisive moment) or a substantial duration. Photographs therefore show not only the places depicted, but the time spent gazing at them.

In my practice I draw attention away from straightforward recognition and likeness to the importance of temporality. Especially, when thinking about landscape photography, we enjoy the recognition of beautiful places as if they were timeless. Yet, my images juxtapose stillness and movement in panoramic landscape photography. These photographs took up to 15 minutes to build up. As a result, the work portrays a sense of landscape that much more dynamic and depicts places as experienced, rather than immutable presences.

All five images are of the river Isar in Munich. In selecting work directly related to my birthplace, I want to highlight my ongoing changing relationship with my childhood home. And this work shows, moments, intervals I spent looking at the Isar. Each image portrays an unrepeatable, indeterminate, Merleau-Pontian ‘thick moment.’ Essentially photographic and indexical, though not immediately recognisable, the work is exactly therefore deeply personal.