These Are Some of the Must-See Photographers at AD2022
Words: Chris Erik Thomas.
The world’s oldest surviving photograph, View from the Window at Le Gras, was made in 1826 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. In the nearly two centuries since that historic moment, photography has shaped the world. It has become so omnipresent, so easily utilized in smartphones and social media, that the art of photography can sometimes be overlooked. To truly make art from a click of shutter takes a special kind of talent.
At Art Düsseldorf, we strive to highlight the talented artist whose photography has captivated audiences. This year, when the fair settles into the sprawling Areal Böhler from April 8-10, a number of talented photographers of all backgrounds will have their work shown. There will be photos of otherworldly natural phenomena, scenes of interpersonal drama, and celebrations of marginalized communities immortalized on film.
Before we welcome the 85 galleries joining the fair this year, we want to highlight a selection of some of the most exciting photographers whose works will be shown at Art Düsseldorf.
Marge Monko. "Boon (Antwerp)", 2014. C-print. 60 x 60 cm. Courtesy COSAR.
Born and based out of Tallinn, Estonia, the artist’s photography, installation, and video work have captivated audiences in the decades since she began her career. References to historical events or concepts of psychoanalysis and feminism are weaved throughout her work, resulting in visuals that interrogate capitalism, communism, and other facets of life. In her more recent series, she has explored the concept of desire and, more specifically, how it is produced and reproduced in display windows, print ads, and other formats.
The Düsseldorf-based Cosar gallery will feature a piece by the artist from her Window Shopping series at this year’s fair.
Vera Lutter. "Temple of Athena, Paestum, II: October 6, 2015." Gelatin silver print, unique. 139 x 236 cm. Courtesy Utermann Galerie.
The German artist has been creating award-winning works of photography for decades. Born in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Lutter initially trained as a sculptor in Munich before moving to New York City in 1993. It was in New York that the artist developed her love for the camera obscura method of photography, which requires massive, room-sized spaces with apertures on one wall. After first making a room of her New York apartment into a camera obscura, she has since created a transportable shipping container that allows her to use the technique to capture sights from around the world.
A selection of her works will be on view at the booth of Dortmund’s famed Galerie Utermann, which represents the artist.
Joanna Piotrowska. "Untitled", 2014-2018. silver gelatin print edition of 7 ex. + 3 AP Signed. 120.2 x 94.5 cm. © Joanna Piotrowska, courtesy Southard Reid, London and Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne.
The practice of photography has been a conduit to explore human relationships throughout the career of the London-based artist. Born in Warsaw, Poland in 1985, Piotrowska has established herself as an important visual artist thanks to her work not just in photography, but also in video and performance. It was her work titled FROWST, which tackled the interpersonal dynamics of families, that helped her gain broader exposure outside of Poland. With a focus on the interaction between the human body and its environment, her work explores sociopolitical issues that push viewers to question their assumptions of comfort and safety.
As part of Galerie Thomas Zander’s exhibition at Art Düsseldorf, a stirring black-and-white photo from FROWST will be shown.
Irmel Kamp. "Bruxelles", 1997. Gelatin silver print, Baryta Paper. 82 x 72 cm (framed), 60 x 50 cm (print). Copyright: Irmel Kamp, Courtesy Galerie Thomas Fischer, Berlin.
Born in Düsseldorf in 1937, the famed photographer has produced decades worth of photographic work focused on architecture. Her long-term research projects have zeroed in on a particular region or architectural style, resulting in massive tomes that pay tribute to prevailing architectural styles of the area. Across her vast body of work, it has been both her projects in Tel Aviv and Brussels that have garnered her the most praise and attention. Through her photographic lens, viewers are able to dive into the human history of the structures that surround us.
The presentation by Galerie Thomas Fischer of two works from her Brussels series will be necessary viewing for photography fans at the fair this year.
Grey Crawford. "Umbra", 1975-79. Installation view at Persons Projects, Berlin. Silver gelatin print. Each 50.5 x 66 cm. Courtesy Persons Projects.
After a childhood spent in Southern California, the artist honed his skills at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Claremont Graduate University. It was at Claremont that Crawford’s artistic process blossomed while he was in charge of designing and building the university’s darkroom facilities. Drawing on inspiration from such artists as John McLaughlin, and Karl Benjamin, as well as architect Luis Barragán, his work fused abstract geometric forms with stark desert landscapes. It would take four decades for his oeuvre to be rediscovered, but since 2017, Crawford has found recognition in the art world for his photographic work.
At the fair, Persons Projects will showcase a selection of black-and-white photos from Crawford’s Umbra series, which was photographed in Southern California throughout the 1970s.
Evelyn Hofer. "Girl with Bicycle, Dublin", 1966. Dye Transfer. 41,6 x 33,5 cm (50,5 x 40,5 cm). © Estate of Evelyn Hofer, courtesy Galerie m, Bochum, Germany.
After being rejected by the Paris Conservatory to continue her studies as a pianist, the German-born artist’s path shifted towards photography as a series of moves brought her to Mexico in the early 1940s. It was here that Hofer began to establish her reputation for crafting tightly-constructed portraits and scenic imagery using a four-by-five inch view camera. For decades, Hofer amassed a body of work that includes somber and ambiguous portraits centered in a straightforward, clear style.
Though the artist passed away at age 87 in Mexico City, her art lives on. For this year’s art fair, Galerie M will show her 1966 work, Girl with Bicycle, Dublin.
Axel Hütte. "Flower", 2020. Metal print framed. 83 x 66 cm. Ed. of 4. Courtesy Daniel Marzona.
Born in the city of Essen, Germany in 1951, Hütte has built up his art career through large-scale photographic works. As the main representative of the Düsseldorf School of Photography, the postwar artist has grown alongside peers that include photographers Andreas Gursky and Thomas Ruff. You won’t find a single person in the works of the famed German artist. It is nature and all of its elements that populate his photographs, and it is the concept of “soulscapes” that guides him.
In a celebration of his expansive work, the gallery Daniel Marzona will present three recent works by the photographer at their booth during Art Düsseldorf.
Pieter Hugo. Alan, Paris, 2019, from the series "Solus Vol. 1." Pigment print. 53 x 42 cm. ©Pieter Hugo, courtesy PRISKA PASQUER, Cologne.
After being gifted a camera by his father as a child, the South African artist has built a reputation for capturing beautiful portraiture of communities around the world. His expansive body of work has brought him to Rwanda, Nigeria, China, Jamaica, the US, Mexico, and many other countries. It has resulted in four monographs thus far, plus space in the collections of museums that include Centre Pompidou, Museum of Modern Art, and V&A Museum.
The artist will show photographic works from two series, Solus Vol I and Californian Wildflowers, at the booth of Priska Pasquer during Art Düsseldorf.
Chris Erik Thomas is the Digital Editor of Art Düsseldorf. They work as a freelance writer and editor in Berlin and focus primarily on culture, art, and media. Their work can also be seen in Highsnobiety, The Face Magazine, and other publications.
