andreas kuhn | electronic publishing

die kamera als mikroskop

geometrische elemente, flächen und linien, parallel, senkrecht zu einander, selten auch diagonal. manchmal leuchtende, kontrastierende farben, manchmal ton in ton. so präsentieren sich die fotografien von andreas kuhn.
erst auf den zweiten blick wird die abstraktion vertrauter: man erkennt eine wand, ein gitter, jalousien, türen, fenster, schatten.
die werkreihe »urban patterns« zeigt dem betrachter einen fokussierten aus­schnitt aus alltäglichem, abstrahiert das gewohnte und präsentiert die bestandteile des städtischen lebens wie unter einem mikroskop.
durchnummeriert und ohne hinweis auf den entstehungsort ist die darstellung letztlich genauso abstrakt wie die aufnahmen selbst.
schon tausendmal gesehen? definitiv nicht! an diesem punkt entsteht die interaktion zwischen bild und betrachter, der angeregt wird, das gesehene in seinem erfahrungsschatz zu verorten: »kenne ich das? war ich dort schon einmal?«
oft gelingt das nicht, zu groß ist die abstraktion, zu ähnlich sind die städte, zu selten schauen wir in der alltagshast genau hin? was durch diese ausstellung überdeutlich bewusst wird. ein bild wie das der warhol-banane wirkt fast erlösend: »ich weiß? an der schirn in frankfurt!«
eine faszinierende ausstellung, die scheinbar unwichtige dinge in den fokus rückt.
[tanja huckenbeck]

the japanese have a word for their flower arrangements. it is called ikebana. the word »arrangement« is somewhat misleading though. the emphasis is not ­really on the flowers but the the spaces between them. it is, in other words, a kind of expressing and creating of nothingness. andreas kuhn’s striking photographs remind me, contextually, of ikebana. each an unseen or overlooked place, contained within and a part of a larger tableau: the unseen, the overlooked, never before perceived spaces between greater objects. slices of a gestalt. the reward for the viewer is that kuhn discovers these fundamental shapes, colors and micro landscapes in places we have been looking all along ... just under, around and behind the obvious. he reminds us that perception is subjective by revealing something we already know of course, through those things we ignore. in that sense, these photographs imply rather than define. they are what appears to be rather than what is. each, ironically transcending the anonymity of its place. coaxing the obvious from inobvious ... elegance from inelegance and meaning from the mundane.
[steve vermillion]

a growing study of color and texture

what began as a friend’s casual study of color and texture has now been formalized on urban patterns tumblr, facebook, and flickr. andreas himself describes this collection as ‘lo-fi’ photography, but this is a humble obfuscation of the careful eye that is capturing these sometimes compelling visions. for myself, i find the color contrasts most compelling, and they provide a wonderful meditation on this infinite topic, so dear to us all. follow along and let your imagination grow along with this very pleasing effort. weiter so, andreas!
[erik brandt]

i see the work of andreas as the particular vision of an urban man of the world around him. attentive at colors that scream around, small and delicate details that often go unnoticed in our eyes, he creates new shapes in everyday objects. his look at small details that are captured with his eyes, and then magnified by the lens, are transformed into extraordinary works of art that delight our eyes in small and magical surprises. i feel like a child discovering a new world.
[emily keane]

we walk each day through our busy lives and we believe see many things. but do we notice them? andreas kuhn’s »urban patterns« images crystalize for me that there is so much which is unseen, so much that goes without any notice. andreas captures beautifully the stability and gives form to hidden lines in the foundation which is right before our eyes, yet somehow fall thru the cracks out of focus. this is a striking ensemble of images. my imagination is drawn then to those things which continue to develop the character of where we are and where others have been. where we live and work, eat and play. these images capture some of the most anonymous objects and with his perspective mr. kuhn brings them to the front of the line with an incredibly vibrant color palette. a creative collection of vivid images of that which goes completely un-noticed by many people daily and perhaps have likely stretches for many many years. as i was introduced to each image i sensed the character, the substance, the transition of life and the history, even the future and come to this conclusion: there is most certainly something i do not notice in daily life. something i do not see which is very ordinary but is really quite extraordinary. something which continually stirs and has mixed through time to develop the character of that which is our urban theater.
[c.l. white-gallant]

der perfekte schnitt über das grauen

wer viel unterwegs ist, fotografiert gerne skurrile orte. ok, das ist nichts neues. aber eine pinke hauswand mit fett zugekleistertem, ebenso pinkem wasserrohr? das sieht so gruselig aus und trotzdem klicke ich sofort auf den fb-like-button! deine farbenfrohe fotoserie »urban patterns« entfaltet für mich besonders dort wirkung, wo die bob-der-baumeister-helden der städte unbarmherzig naiv und grobschlächtig tief in den farbeimer gegriffen haben. du hast für mich den perfekten schnitt über das grauen gezogen, wunderbar!
[birgit uhl]