OPEN SPACE 7: NINA RÖDER, ALEXANDER LEMBKE | twotoone
Opening: Friday, 14 January 2011, 7 p.m.
Exhibition: 15 January - 12 February 2011
Artist Talk: Friday, 4 February 2011, 7 p.m.
Artist Talk: Friday, 4 February 2011, 7 p.m.
The revival of the twentieth century photography movement was based on the programmatically entitled book foto-auge (photo eye), published in Germany in 1929, and proclaimed the “objective truth” of the medium in the field of object and documentary photography. It was this “new photography”, built on the knowledge of constructivism, that served as a teaching model at the Bauhaus school in Weimar. Under the heading of “Neue Sachlichkeit” (the new objectivity), photographers, typographers and graphic designers now began to value object fidelity, sharpness and the capturing of detail.
Today, in the environs of the Bauhaus University in Weimar, a new photographic scene has emerged. Perhaps it does exist, the Weimar photographic handwriting, a Weimar school. If so, then Alexander Lembke and Nina Röder are important representatives of this new direction in photography from Weimar.
Nina Röder
After her bachelor theatre studies, Nina Röder focused on narrative, staged photography for her master’s degree at the Bauhaus University Weimar. Considering a new interpretation of the Bauhaus University interdisciplinary idea, she combined her knowledge of stage construction, directing, acting and scenography with the medium of photography. Hence her photographic work revolves around concept-based, narrative pictorial spaces. The latter show open spaces or places Röder stumbled upon consciously or unconsciously, then encountered their respective nature with a performative physical interpretation. Alternatively she worked in spaces specially designed, decorated and created out of nothing for her images.
Her photographic interest is the various aspects of identity construction. Part of her work focuses therefore on “external, not self-imposed” influences on the development of identity; those of descent, with its familial, historical and provincial aspects. Then again, some of her other work explores a self-constructed identity produced by performance.
Alexander Lembke
Subversive Romantic – the search for Ultima Thule
For Alexander Lembke photography is an integral part of his undertaking to trace the impact of human activity on nature. From the perspective of the passive observer, his pictures show the subjugation and taming of unheeded places at a remove from social attention. The images of deserted mine colonies in Spitzbergen in the polar circle, of amputated trees in the Hochharz national park from the Königsforst series, and the sequence of the avalanche protective devices all deal with the notion that a place untouched by human hand has probably never existed. Despite this basic ecological attitude, Lembke succeeds in avoiding the compulsion to continually image an oppressive reality of decline and accusatory evidence for the penetration of man into the realm of nature untouched. Instead, his photographic language is one of relaxed quiet, of skilfully composed shots and abstract graphic quality. References to the landscape painting of German Romanticism in his images lead to infinity; thoroughly constructed lines of sight open up an almost perfect order. The alert observer, however, will detect a subliminal countercurrent that disturbs the harmony of man and nature in Lembke’s images. The bright, arctic glacier panorama is clouded by the presence of a coal power station; the lofty pose of a hiker in front of the arctic landscape is fractured by the disconcerting realization of the extent to which the glacier has already fallen victim to global warming.
The human subject is rarely centre stage in Lembke’s photography. Even in the portrayal of cultural landscapes Lembke manages to interpret individuals through their interaction and relationship to other image details. This focus on interaction and transformation is the recurring theme in his pictures. Instead of relying on individual, visually stunning photographs, Lembke pursues an iterative approach, whereby he gradually comes closer to the subject with different angles.
His photography could be interpreted as the application of the Kaizen principle, and thus as the continuing optimization loop, always returning to the same locations to document the next steps in an extended process. Ultima Thule in European mythology is a distant, northern place not marked on any map, untouched by civilization. Lembke’s photography has set itself the goal of finding it, a process that is of necessity endless, as he himself explains: “As soon as I think I’ve discovered it, I find out that people were there before me.”
Nina Röder
After her bachelor theatre studies, Nina Röder focused on narrative, staged photography for her master’s degree at the Bauhaus University Weimar. Considering a new interpretation of the Bauhaus University interdisciplinary idea, she combined her knowledge of stage construction, directing, acting and scenography with the medium of photography. Hence her photographic work revolves around concept-based, narrative pictorial spaces. The latter show open spaces or places Röder stumbled upon consciously or unconsciously, then encountered their respective nature with a performative physical interpretation. Alternatively she worked in spaces specially designed, decorated and created out of nothing for her images.
Her photographic interest is the various aspects of identity construction. Part of her work focuses therefore on “external, not self-imposed” influences on the development of identity; those of descent, with its familial, historical and provincial aspects. Then again, some of her other work explores a self-constructed identity produced by performance.
Alexander Lembke
Subversive Romantic – the search for Ultima Thule
For Alexander Lembke photography is an integral part of his undertaking to trace the impact of human activity on nature. From the perspective of the passive observer, his pictures show the subjugation and taming of unheeded places at a remove from social attention. The images of deserted mine colonies in Spitzbergen in the polar circle, of amputated trees in the Hochharz national park from the Königsforst series, and the sequence of the avalanche protective devices all deal with the notion that a place untouched by human hand has probably never existed. Despite this basic ecological attitude, Lembke succeeds in avoiding the compulsion to continually image an oppressive reality of decline and accusatory evidence for the penetration of man into the realm of nature untouched. Instead, his photographic language is one of relaxed quiet, of skilfully composed shots and abstract graphic quality. References to the landscape painting of German Romanticism in his images lead to infinity; thoroughly constructed lines of sight open up an almost perfect order. The alert observer, however, will detect a subliminal countercurrent that disturbs the harmony of man and nature in Lembke’s images. The bright, arctic glacier panorama is clouded by the presence of a coal power station; the lofty pose of a hiker in front of the arctic landscape is fractured by the disconcerting realization of the extent to which the glacier has already fallen victim to global warming.
The human subject is rarely centre stage in Lembke’s photography. Even in the portrayal of cultural landscapes Lembke manages to interpret individuals through their interaction and relationship to other image details. This focus on interaction and transformation is the recurring theme in his pictures. Instead of relying on individual, visually stunning photographs, Lembke pursues an iterative approach, whereby he gradually comes closer to the subject with different angles.
His photography could be interpreted as the application of the Kaizen principle, and thus as the continuing optimization loop, always returning to the same locations to document the next steps in an extended process. Ultima Thule in European mythology is a distant, northern place not marked on any map, untouched by civilization. Lembke’s photography has set itself the goal of finding it, a process that is of necessity endless, as he himself explains: “As soon as I think I’ve discovered it, I find out that people were there before me.”
Biographies:
Nina Röder
Born 1983
2006 University of Bayreuth, studied theatre and media, Bachelor of Arts
2009 Bauhaus University Weimar, Weimar, studied media design, Master of Fine Arts (honours), majoring in photography
Exhibitions (selection)
2010 “das neue bauhaus 2.010”, Kunsthaus Erfurt, Erfurt
“The Hidden Sense”, Daegu Photo Biennale, Korea
“Your true color”, Neues Museum/ Galerie marke.6, Weimar
“II. Kunstlawine”, Kunsthaus Erfurt/ Altes Innenministerium, Erfurt
“Europäische Fotografie-Hochschulabsolventen”, Atelier de Visu, Marseille
2009 “Somit bleiben 33 Tage – neue Fotografie aus Weimar”, (curated by Dirk Teschner), Galerie Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin
“Inszenierte Fotografie”, Wiesbadener Fototage, Wiesbaden
“Von hier aus, wohin?”, F/Stop: International Photography Festival, Leipzig
“Kunstlawine”, Kunsthaus Erfurt/ Altes Innenministerium, Erfurt
“Artist Residency”, Atelier de Visu, Marseille
“Theresia”, media design prize, Bauhaus University Weimar, Weimar
Alexander Lembke
Born in 1976 in Wernigerode
1999-2005 studied media design, majoring in photography, Bauhaus University Weimar
as of 2004 free-lance photo designer
as of 2006 artistic staff member of Bauhaus University Weimar, Department of Photography
as of 2007 editor of LOOM photography magazine
as of 2009 free-lance member
Exhibitions (selection)
2010 “das neue bauhaus 2.010”, Kunsthaus Erfurt, Erfurt
“Fallen” Huberhaus, Wernigerode (E)
“Photo Speaks 2010” Gallery Iang, Seoul (G)
“II. Kunstlawine”, Kunsthaus Erfurt/ Altes Innenministerium (G)
“Your True Color” curator, marke.6/ Neues Museum (G)
“Daegu Photobienale 2010”, Seoul (G)
2009 “Somit bleiben 33 Tage – neue Fotografie aus Weimar”, (curated by Dirk Teschner), Galerie Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin (G)
“Kunstlawine”, Kunsthaus Erfurt/ Altes Innenministerium (G)
“Aerial” Huberhaus, Wernigerode (E)
2008 “Königsforst”, Huberhaus, Wernigerode (E)
2005 “Re – Entry”, Photography at Gallery Seiku, Malmö (E)
Nina Röder
Born 1983
2006 University of Bayreuth, studied theatre and media, Bachelor of Arts
2009 Bauhaus University Weimar, Weimar, studied media design, Master of Fine Arts (honours), majoring in photography
Exhibitions (selection)
2010 “das neue bauhaus 2.010”, Kunsthaus Erfurt, Erfurt
“The Hidden Sense”, Daegu Photo Biennale, Korea
“Your true color”, Neues Museum/ Galerie marke.6, Weimar
“II. Kunstlawine”, Kunsthaus Erfurt/ Altes Innenministerium, Erfurt
“Europäische Fotografie-Hochschulabsolventen”, Atelier de Visu, Marseille
2009 “Somit bleiben 33 Tage – neue Fotografie aus Weimar”, (curated by Dirk Teschner), Galerie Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin
“Inszenierte Fotografie”, Wiesbadener Fototage, Wiesbaden
“Von hier aus, wohin?”, F/Stop: International Photography Festival, Leipzig
“Kunstlawine”, Kunsthaus Erfurt/ Altes Innenministerium, Erfurt
“Artist Residency”, Atelier de Visu, Marseille
“Theresia”, media design prize, Bauhaus University Weimar, Weimar
Alexander Lembke
Born in 1976 in Wernigerode
1999-2005 studied media design, majoring in photography, Bauhaus University Weimar
as of 2004 free-lance photo designer
as of 2006 artistic staff member of Bauhaus University Weimar, Department of Photography
as of 2007 editor of LOOM photography magazine
as of 2009 free-lance member
Exhibitions (selection)
2010 “das neue bauhaus 2.010”, Kunsthaus Erfurt, Erfurt
“Fallen” Huberhaus, Wernigerode (E)
“Photo Speaks 2010” Gallery Iang, Seoul (G)
“II. Kunstlawine”, Kunsthaus Erfurt/ Altes Innenministerium (G)
“Your True Color” curator, marke.6/ Neues Museum (G)
“Daegu Photobienale 2010”, Seoul (G)
2009 “Somit bleiben 33 Tage – neue Fotografie aus Weimar”, (curated by Dirk Teschner), Galerie Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin (G)
“Kunstlawine”, Kunsthaus Erfurt/ Altes Innenministerium (G)
“Aerial” Huberhaus, Wernigerode (E)
2008 “Königsforst”, Huberhaus, Wernigerode (E)
2005 “Re – Entry”, Photography at Gallery Seiku, Malmö (E)