Alex Kempkens

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Alex Kempkens (actually Alexander Kempkens ; born September 24, 1942 in Linz am Rhein ) is a German photographer , photojournalist and computer artist . He writes articles and curates exhibitions. Kempkens is self-taught .

Life

Unkel on the Rhine and Düsseldorf

Alex Kempkens grew up in Scheuren during the Second World War . From 1947 he lived in Gerresheim . He received his first camera in 1951. At the age of 14, he began an apprenticeship as a high-voltage electrician at the Mannesmannröhren-Werke in the Rath district of Düsseldorf . In addition to his work as a high-voltage electrician, he took photos with a Voigtländer camera that he had received from his mother. He completed a course for photo laboratory work at the community college and bought a simple laboratory facility. From 1962, his photographs were shown in the picture shows for the German Youth Photo Prize at the Photokina .

He attended evening grammar school , but left it before graduation to begin a two-year traineeship with Jürgen Retzlaff, Düsseldorfer Nachrichten , as a photo reporter in October 1966 . In the second year of his internship he worked in the Neuss local editorial office.

Kempkens traveled regularly to Prague from 1965 . There he visited Czech mountaineering friends whom he had met in 1964 in the Tatra Mountains . On May 1st, 1967 he was back in Prague and photographed the May 1st parade as a photo reporter. Instead of photos of tanks and marching soldiers, his photos showed young soldiers playing the blues and walking with their friends in the parade. It was spring in Prague and the young soldiers showed that they were already living the Prague Spring . A photo was published in the Düsseldorfer Nachrichten after his return.

In August 1968 he traveled to Biafra with Jochen M. Raffelberg, who was also a volunteer with the Düsseldorfer Nachrichten . Your report on the Biafra War received national attention. Five of the photographs were published on September 2, 1968 on a double page in Der Spiegel magazine under the title “A people dies”.

Munich

In November 1968, Kempkens moved to Munich, where he started working as a photo journalist on December 1st at the German Press Agency (dpa) . In January 1970 he moved to the newly founded newspaper Tz . From autumn 1971 he worked as a freelance photojournalist in Munich. In the summer of 1972, Kempkens assisted the advertising photographer Jan Keetman and then also worked as an advertising photographer.

In 1973 architectural photography and from spring 1975 endoscopic photography for architectural models were added. His endoscopic photos of the model of the new Bundestag building by the architectural office Behnisch & Partner appeared in the Süddeutsche Zeitung in 1976 . The newspaper's art critic , Doris Schmidt, wrote a one-sided review about the planned new building for the Bundestag in Bonn. In the caption for the endoscope photos, she noted: “This is the first time a newspaper has published endoscopic images of an architectural model.” Further publications of the endoscope photos followed. In particular, his endoscope photos of the planning for the redesign of the Königsplatz in Munich led to articles about his work in PM Magazin .

He also used endoscopy photography in advertising and for free experiments. In January 1980 he had an exhibition of his endoscope photos in Munich. This was followed by another series of publications in German magazines such as ZEITmagazin . In the magazine ProfiFoto Jürgen G. Gumprich wrote: “And it is probably Alex Kempken's merit to have made this endoscopy technique, which is generally attributed to medicine, so to speak acceptable in this country.” With this statement Gumbricht refers to the publications in almost all German photo magazines at the time, such as for example Color Foto , Foto Revue and Nikon News for amateur and professional photographers .

From analog to digital

In 1982, Kempkens photographed a computer monitor with the endoscope for PM Magazin, in which a picture of Albert Einstein that had been manipulated with image processing software was mounted. The montage of the two pictures was used as the cover picture for the PM “Computerheft '82”. He contacted the editorial team after it was published and received the information that led to the purchase of his first computer in December 1982. The computer was a PDP11 / 24 + from DEC .

Alex Kempkens works on the PDP11-24 + DEC computer, 1982

As early as autumn 1982 he was experimenting with the "Picture Processing / Image Processing" software - that was the common name for image processing and image processing at the time . In May 1983 pictures of his experiments were first published in Photo Revue magazine . His first “digital images / photos” were used by DEC as an invitation card to the trade fair in Munich. In January 1984, the digital images of the invitation card were published in Chip magazine . In the article “From Image to Process” the author wrote “It takes an artist's eye to discover not only the practical but also the aesthetic benefits of this technology [image processing]. […] The result were color images in a mixture of reality and the irrational, as they can be characteristic for an entire age. ” The author of the article foresaw that in the next few years the digital images, which until then were almost exclusively in the most diverse industrial, medical and scientific fields have been used in the computer art next to the computer graphics would occupy its own place. On the cover of the issue of CHIP there was an advertisement for a Commodore 64 .

The first solo exhibition of his experiments was shown under the title “Digital Color Photos” in January 1984 in the “Galerie Kunstlicht” in Munich. The exhibition prompted Form magazine to print a four-page report on Kempkens and his digital art and advertising photos in the first issue of 1984 . The introduction to the article read: “It's the classic side of computer graphics: it's typical computer images, these examples - or: the artist's fun with the computer.” The word “fun” used by the editorial team is related the fear of computers that was still prevalent at the time - also in the design profession.

The photo artist Klaus von Gaffron also visited this exhibition . Gaffron approached Kempkens and recommended him to contact the Professional Association of Visual Artists Munich and Upper Bavaria e. V. (BBK) to apply as a member. Kempkens followed the advice and was accepted. In December 1985 he showed digital photo portraits in the group exhibition "Photography Portrait" in the Galerie der Künstler .

Poster for the exhibition Bilder Images Digital 1986 in the Munich Gallery of Artists; Digital image of Alex Kempkens Landscape 1

At the beginning of 1985, Kempkens had the idea of proposing a group exhibition on computer art in Munich in the gallery of artists to the BBK's exhibition commission. His concept was accepted in autumn 1985 and the exhibition "Bilder Images Digital" took place in October 1986 in the Galerie der Künstler. He organized and curated the exhibition and also showed his own works. For the exhibition he produced the catalog "Bilder Images Digital, Computer Artists in Germany '86". The motto on the exhibition poster was “The focus of the exhibition is the message of the picture”. Kempkens also expressly emphasizes this in the foreword of the catalog when he wrote “We exhibit pictures”. It was planned by him as a clear demarcation from computer graphics and he thought of the coming dominance of the digital world of images.

Parallel to the exhibition, he organized a symposium and a workshop in the gallery of artists. Among other things, he invited the first computer art pioneers Frieder Nake and Georg Nees to the symposium . The moderator of the symposium was Richard Kriesche . The critic of the Münchner Abendzeitung , Peter M. Bode, wrote about the symposium: "So the computer artists argue that the tatters are flying [...] the discussions must have been just as passionate when photography came up." The pioneer of this art, Georg Nees, wrote in a letter to the editor to the newspaper "BilderDigital": "With the greatest satisfaction I can say that I have never in the recent history of computer art seen such a haunting event as the Munich Symposium." Nees had for them Exhibition created a new series of architectural drawings of a game world. Nees also wrote in his letter to the editor that he had enjoyed the conversations with the young generation of computer artists at the symposium.

At the workshop, for the first time in Germany, six Amiga 1000s with a connected video station and a color printer were available for self-service experiments for young and old visitors in an art exhibition . They could draw computer pictures and have them printed out in color. Using the video station, templates were converted from analog to digital and then manipulated. The results could also be printed out in color.

For the exhibition “Bilder Images Digital”, Kempkens scrapped an IBM computer system and called the action and performance “Computerburger”. This computer system had cost about one million German marks when a company bought it over a decade earlier. The action took place in September 1986 in a recycling plant for cars and other items in Munich. A video was produced of the action. The leftovers were packed into a barrel as “computer burgers” in the entrance hall of the Artists' Gallery and the video was shown there.

From 1987 further exhibitions of his works followed. Mention should be made of Ferdinand Ullrich's commission to produce the computer game “Zeche Recklinghausen II. The adventure of being a miner ” for the exhibition “Work and Rhythm” at the 41st Ruhr Festival in Recklinghausen in 1987 . 1903–1913 ”based on an idea by Ullrich. In 1987 he was invited to the group exhibition “Unlimited Borders 1” in the Künstlerhaus Graz . A symposium on this took place in Venice .

Montreal

In February 1986, Kempkens was contacted by Hervé Fischer from Montreal . Fischer and his partner Ginette Mayor founded the company “La Cité des arts et des nouvelles technologies de Montréal” to realize the “Images du Futur” exhibition in Montreal. Fischer invited Kempkens to present his “digital pictures / digital works” in the exhibition, which was on view for several months from May 1986 in the old port of Montreal . Kempkens sent his work to Montreal. His digital “works / pictures” were also shown in 1987, 1990, 1991 and 1994 in the exhibition “Images du Futur”. A picture of him was chosen for the catalog title and the exhibition poster of “Image du Futur '90”. The entire archive of the “Images du Futur” exhibition is now owned by the Daniel Langlois Foundation and can be used online for research.

For the exhibition “Images du Futur” in 1991 he was invited by Fischer and Major to come to Montreal. He traveled to Montreal and stayed in the city after the exhibition. Fischer knew the architecture photos of Kempkens from Munich and therefore asked him to take “nice photos” of Vieux-Montréal . Kempkens took on this task, which was a special challenge because every house in Vieux-Montréal had already been architecturally described and photographed in detail. Phyllis Lambert , the founder of the Center canadien d'architecture , Canadian Center for Architecture (CCA) in Montreal, lives in the district herself and wrote one of the first documentaries. She was responsible for the contract to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe to build the Seagram Building in New York City .

Old Port of Montreal (photo circa 1899)

Kempkens' photos of Vieux Montréal were exhibited in 1992 in the gallery "Le Compagnonnage", which he founded, and he also published the book "Pierres de chants de Montréal". The text by Monique Brunet-Weinmann "La Dialectique du Mur et de la Voie" describes the result as En cette année du trois cent cinquantième anniversaire de sa fondation, il est admirable qu'un citoyen nouveau-venu, nous rappelle le plan fondateur de Ville-Marie, dessine par les solid fondations de ses bâtiments. Puisse-t-on entendre ces pierres des Chants (…) . (Translation: “In this year of the 350th anniversary of its foundation, it is admirable that a newly arrived citizen can help us to recognize the old plans of Ville-Marie, outlined from the solid base of the buildings. We like them Hear stones sing ... ”.) Brunet-Weinmann compares the photos to the etchings of Paris that Charles Meryon made at the time of Baudelaire . The buildings in Old Montreal were not photographed individually and in isolation, as is customary in architectural photography, but Kempkens photographed them integrated into the grown surroundings of the urban landscape. The architectural photos of Vieux Montréal were presented again in 1997 in parallel to Le Mois de la Photo in Montréal in a solo exhibition in the Bonsecours market .

In autumn 1992, Jacques Charbonneau, founder of the “Center Copie-Art” in Montréal, invited Kempkens to become artist in residence at the “Galerie Arts Technologiques du Center Copie-Art”. In January 1993 he had his first solo exhibition there with the title “What is the Prince looking for in the forest? Que cherche le prince dans la forêt?” He became an active member of the “Center Copie-Art” group. Further solo and group exhibitions followed at the Arts Technologiques Gallery and other galleries in Montreal.

Lower Rhine

In 1999 Kempkens came back to Germany and now lives on the Lower Rhine . From 2000 on, he took part in several exhibitions in Germany with both analog and digital photos, such as the Duisburger Akzente cultural festival . He got to know new artists at exhibitions and readings, especially Oskar Fahr, poet, journalist and philosopher. Oskar Fahr persuaded Michael Arenz, editor of the magazine Der Mongole Warte , to publish an article about Kempkens. Fahr wrote a text about Kempkens for the 2002 edition and used his digital photos to illustrate his poems in the same edition of The Mongol Waiting . Fahr wrote about the pictures by Kempkens: “These fairies and water maids, mostly in the foreground, don't wear a bathing suit, but they play with each other when there are two of them. It is no different with the computer artist than with Arnold Böcklin . The Rhine daughters of Kempkens have the present, and they create the present. ”In his text, Fahr refers to the pictures in the exhibition“ Provider In An Other Time ”at the 23rd Duisburger Akzent. In Duisburg, as in Montreal, Kempkens fused the images of the city's young women with today's architecture of the urban landscape and the Rhine landscape. That corresponded to the theme and the pictures of the exhibition “What is the prince looking for in the forest?”, Where he lets the prince look for the princess in the modern city and not in the forest of fairy tales. Arenz published poems and pictures by Kempkens under the title he chose, " Satori in Montreal".

In November 2014, architectural photos by Kempkens from 1975 were published in the book " Helmut von Werz - An Architect's Life 1912–1990" and shown in the exhibition "Helmut von Werz" in the Munich Architecture Gallery.

plant

  • Yes, but a computer says more than a thousand pictures! 'landscap 8 (1983).

Catalogs

  • Bilder Images Digital - Computer artist in Germany '86 , Barke Verlag, Munich 1986.
  • Pierres des chants de Montréal: Vieux Montréal - Old Montreal , Galerie Le Compagnonnage, Montreal 1992.
  • What is the prince looking for in the forest? Que cherche le prince dans la forêt? What is the prince looking for in the forest? , Le Center Copie-Art Montréal, Munich 1993.

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions

  • 1984: Digital Art , Kunstlicht Gallery, Munich.
  • 1986: Alex Kempkens , Galerie E, Zurich.
  • 1993: Que cherche le prince dans la forêt ?, Galerie Arts Technologiques, Montréal.
  • 1994: Les Courants Nocturnes , Galerie Arts Technologiques, Montréal.
  • 1997: Pierres des chants de Montréal , Galerie Le Compagnonnage, Montréal.
  • 2001: La fée de Montréal danse pour moi , Galerie Gerber, Duisburg.

Group exhibitions

  • 1962–1968: German Youth Photo Prize , Photokina, Cologne.
  • 1968/1969: World Press Photo .
  • 1970: V. Interpressfoto , Prague.
  • 1971/1972: World Press Photo .
  • 1986: Image du future , Montreal.
  • 1986: Bilder Images Digital , Munich.
  • 1986: SIGGRAPH , Dallas.
  • 1987: The adventure of being a miner, 1903–1913 , Museum Recklinghausen.
  • 1987: Images du Futur , Montréal.
  • 1987: Unlimited Borders , Graz.
  • 1987: FAUST Forum des Arts de L'Univers Scientifique et Technique , Toulouse.
  • 1988: Bavarian Art Nowadays , Cairo, Alexandria.
  • 1989: 25 years of computer art , BMW Pavilion, Munich.
  • 1990: Images du Futur , Montréal.
  • 1991: Images du Futur , Montréal.
  • 1994: Immigrant. Images du Future , Montréal.
  • 1994: La marche pour la liberté , Galerie Arts Technologiques, Montréal.
  • 1995: La fille et son Chat-cheval , Galerie CIRKA, Montréal.
  • 1996: Atrium Verre , Center Copie-Art dans le cadre de ISEA, Montréal.
  • 1997: Don Quichotte , Center Copie-Art, Montréal.
  • 1999: Tête ou Bitch , Conseil de la sculpture du Québec, Montréal.
  • 2000: Provider in an other time , ArtCrossing project, 23rd Duisburger Akzente.
  • 2014: Helmut von Werz - An Architect's Life 1912–1990 , Architectural Gallery, Munich.

Awards

  • "Youth and Age", award, German Youth Photo Prize 1968.
  • “Demonstrator and Police”, Munich, silver medal, V. Interpressfoto, Prague, 1970.
  • "Nature as a builder", endoscopic photography, award, Kodak calendar competition, Stuttgart, 1978.

literature

  • Model photography: With the endoscope into the realm of the mini world. In: PM Magazin , No. 11 (1978), p. 11.
  • Wolfgang Stegers: Dandelion: How does a dandelion actually come about? In: PMMagazin , No. 7 (1979), pp. 4-5.
  • Volker Wachs: The other perspective. In: Color Foto , January 1980, pp. 135–141.
  • Jürgen G. Gumprich: Alex Kempkens, Endography. In: ProfiFOTO , No. 4 (1981), pp. 36-41.
  • DH Bauer: Portrait of an endoscopist. In: Nikon News , No. 2 (1982), pp. 44-47.
  • Jean Paul Laub: Programmed Art - Art Program? In: Professional CamerA , May 1983, pp. 138-145.
  • Alex Kempkens: Filwrite! >> Pixles Games << - with digital photography. In: form. Zeitschrift für Gestaltung No. 1 (1984), pp. 42–45.
  • Jutta Tezmen-Siegel, Alex Kempkens: PHOTOGRAPHY PORTRAIT , Professional Association of Visual Artists Munich a. Upper Bavaria, Munich 1985.
  • Susanne Päch: Computer portraits by Alex Kempkens. In: Novum Nutzgraphik , September 1985, pp. 46-51.
  • Dorota Kozinska: Old city is captured by German artist. In: The Gazette. , September 1997, Section C.
  • Maxim Pouska: Computer - Werbung 1935–2010 Graphic Design and Art , BOD, 2011, pp. 119–120.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Hanns Hubmann: Bildjournalismus, Zwei current. In: foto magazin , September 1970, p. 16.
  2. ↑ Düsseldorfer Nachrichten , No. 102 of May 4, 1967, p. 3.
  3. ↑ Alex Kempkens (photos), Jochen M. Raffelberg (text): Everywhere these images of horror. In: Düsseldorfer Nachrichten No. 196, 197 and 200 of 23, 24 and 28 August 1968.
  4. ^ Catalog for the World Press Exhibition 1968/1969 , pp. 58 and 60.
  5. ^ Catalog for the World Press Exhibition 1971–1972 , pp. 177–180, and 199.
  6. ↑ Alex Kempkens: Macro-photographic insights . Professional CamerA , JV-Journal-Verlag, Munich 1980.
  7. ↑ Doris Schmidt: Waiting for the start. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung , No. 294 from 18./19. December 1976, p. 66.
  8. ↑ Model photography: With the endoscope into the realm of the mini world. In: PM Magazin , No. 11 (1978), p. 11.
  9. ^ Hermann Pfeiffer: 29th Stuttgart Calendar Show Graphics , Verlag Karl Thiemig, B 20341 E, March 1979, pp. 1 and 22.
  10. ↑ Eva Kirschenhofer: Views from the ant's perspective. In: Zeitmagazin , No. 23 of May 30, 1980, pp. 38-39.
  11. ^ Jürgen G. Gumprich: Alex Kempkens, Endographie. In: ProfiFoto , No. 4 (1981), pp. 36-41.
  12. ↑ a b Maxim Pouska: Computers - advertising graphic design and art 1935-2010 , BOD, 2011, pp 119-120. ISBN 978-3-8370-6229-8 . OCLC 724848434 .
  13. ↑ Jean Paul Laub, Programmed Art - Art Program? In: Photo Revue. Professional CamerA , May 1983, pp. 138-145.
  14. ↑ Systems'83 was able to post record growth. In: Computerwoche .
  15. ↑ From image to process. In: CHIP , 01/1983, p. 45.
  16. ↑ Filewrite! >> Pixles Games << - with digital photography. In: Form , Issue 105 (1984), pp. 42-45.
  17. ^ Susanne Päch : Computer portraits by Alex Kempkens. In: Novum , September 1985, pp. 46-51.
  18. ↑ Jutta Tezmen Seal, Alex Kempkens: Photography - , BBK - Professional Association of Visual Artists and Munich. Upper Bavaria, Munich 1985, OCLC 158602328.
  19. ↑ BBK Archive, p. 33 ( Memento from August 25, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Photography - Portrait, Gallery of Artists Munich, 1985, p. 33.
  20. ^ Helga Biesel: Professional Association of Visual Artists discovers computers as tools of the trade. Exhibition: Digitally animated art world. In: Computerwoche of November 14, 1986.
  21. ↑ Copper Giloth, Lynn Pocock-Willians: A Selected Chronology of Computer Arts: Exhibitions, Publications, and Technology. In: Art Journal , No. 3 (1990), ISSN  0004-3249 , p. 292.
  22. ↑ BBK Archive, p. 34 ( Memento from August 25, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Bilder Image Digital, Galerie der Künstler, Munich, 1986, p. 34.
  23. ↑ Alex Kempkens, Barbara Kempkens (eds.): Bilder Images Digital: "Computerkünstler in Deutschland 1986" , Barke Verlag, 1986, pages 255, ISBN 3-926167-00-9 , OCLC 722332061 ; ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  24. ↑ Peter M. Bode: The computer paints. In: Abendzeitung from 25./26. October 1986, p. 11.
  25. ↑ a b Georg Nees: The situation of computer art in the FRG. In: BilderDigital , No. 1 (1988), p. 27. ISSN  0933-6583 , OCLC 183389764 .
  26. ↑ Georg Nees: Artificial Art and Artificial Intelligence. In: Alexander Kempkens and Barbara Kempkens (eds.): Bilder Images Digital: “Computerkünstler in Deutschland 1986” , Barke Verlag 1986, ISBN 3-926167-00-9 , pages 58–67 and 112–119.
  27. ↑ Alex Kempkens: Bilder Images Digital. In: BilderDigital - Newspaper for Art and Advertising with the Computer , No. 1 (1988), p. 17, ISSN  0933-6583 OCLC 183389764 .
  28. ↑ Johannes Glötzner: Scrap Verses. In: BilderDigital , No. 1 (1988), p. 19, ISSN  0933-6583 , OCLC 183389764 .
  29. ↑ Alex Kempkens: Computer Burger. In: BilderDigital , No. 2 (1986) of October 24, 1986, pp. 6-9.
  30. ^ Ferdinand Ulrich: Arbeit und Rhythmus , catalog of the 41st Ruhrfestspiele, Recklinghausen 1987.
  31. ↑ Richard Kriesche : Unbounded Limits , Graz / Venice, Edition Arge Alpen Adria, 1987.
  32. ↑ Hervé Fischer: Images du futur past , on the Daniel Langlois Foundation website (English).
  33. ↑ Alex Kempkens: Sondra's Heart. In: Images du Futur '90 , catalog: cover picture, poster and p. 42.
  34. ^ Homepage of the Daniel Langlois Foundation for Art, Science, and Technology .
  35. ^ Jocelyne Lepage: Images du futur. In: La Presse of June 8, 1991, p. D14.
  36. ↑ Dorota Kozinska: Old city is captured by German artist. In: The Gazette, September 12, 1997, Section C.
  37. ↑ Homepage of the CCA .
  38. ↑ Alex Kempkens and Monique Brunet-Weinmann: Pierres des chants de Montréal: Vieux Montréal = Old Montreal , Galerie Le Compagnonnage, Montreal 1992, ISBN 2-921522-00-4 , OCLC 231856031 (text in English and French).
  39. ^ Charbonneau, Jacques (1943). In: Dictionary of Quebec Sculpture in the 20th Century .
  40. ↑ Alex Kempkens: What is the prince looking for in the forest ?, a question in the real existing virtual reality = Que cherche le prince dans la forêt ?, a question dans la réalité existential de l'existence virtual . Center Copie art Galerie Arts technologiques Montréal, Visual Art Team, Munich 1993, ISBN 2-9802813-5-2 , OCLC 300085818 .
  41. ↑ Alexander Kempkens: THE BRIDE IN THE HAFEN , Duisburger Akzente, 2016 ( Memento from April 8, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
  42. ↑ Alex Kempkens: Satori in Montreal. Poems in French and English & pictures by Alex Kempkens. In: The Mongol Waiting , No. 14 (October 2004), pp. 298–319.
  43. ^ Website of the Munich Architecture Gallery .
  44. ↑ Cordula Rau and Georg von Werz (eds.): Helmut von Werz - An Architect's Life 1912–1990 , Birkhäuser Verlag , Basel 2014, ISBN 978-3-99043-664-6 , OCLC 898770430 , pp. 151–153 and 177– 179.
  45. ↑ Select magazine , No. 6 (May / June 1983).
personal data
SURNAME Kempkens, Alex
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kempkens, Alexander (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German photographer, photojournalist and computer artist
DATE OF BIRTH September 24, 1942
PLACE OF BIRTH Linz on the Rhine