Ulrich Hensel

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Ulrich Hensel (* 1946 in Düsseldorf ) is a German photographer . His large-format color photographs of construction sites are well known. He lives and works in Düsseldorf.

Ulrich Hensel, Düsseldorf, Breite Straße II, 2003, 239.7 cm × 200 cm, C-Print Diasec

education

After graduating from high school, he studied psychology, art and film. Ulrich Hensel made various series of photographs. For example, he made photographs of his travels to the Middle East and North Africa between 1967 and 1975, to India from 1981 to 1990, of local deities in North and South India during his travels from 1995 to 1997. Since 1991 his focus has been on photographing construction sites.

Ulrich Hensel, Düsseldorf, Hans-Vilz-Weg II, C-Print Diasec, 160 cm × 289 cm, 2004

plant

Since Ulrich Hensel is formally not part of the Düsseldorf Photo School, parallels to the photo school of Bernd and Hilla Becher can be seen in the serial form of expression of his work, his methodical approach . In his early years he shared an apartment with Andreas Gursky . Gursky is said to be a great admirer of the photography of his friend Ulrich Hensel. This is how Andreas Gursky's famous photo of the gas stove in the shared apartment was taken. Hensel's photographs occupy a unique place in contemporary photographic art from Germany.

Ulrich Hensel, Düsseldorf, Färberstraße, II, C-Print-Diasec, 254.5 cm × 180 cm, 2007

For more than two decades, Ulrich Hensel has obsessively focused on a single topic: construction sites. The pictures themselves often appear abstract and minimalistic - grids, points, reinforcement and iron bars criss-cross the works in a rigorous arrangement, limited by the objects they show. They lead to involuntary associations with the geometric shapes of Kazimir Malevich and Piet Mondrian . The technical world of reinforced concrete, lintels, insulation, wall markings, building cladding and steel bars reflect in his work metaphors for the works of Mark Rothko , Donald Judd and Cy Twombly . Just as Leonardo Da Vinci recognized a world of drawings in a weathered wall, Ulrich Hensel likes to look at construction sites.

"Ulrich Hensel's works convey the impression of sprawling three-dimensional objects, which make his photographs appear as a" crossover "between photography, painting, object art and installation, as a perfection that has captured the chance of the perfect moment."

In contrast to Andreas Gursky , who over the past few years [as of 2015] has been post-processing his pictures intensively on the computer, Hensel strives for authenticity and avoids digital interference. His large-format photographs are described as unobtrusive and complex at the same time.

Ulrich Hensel, Am Mühlenturm, C-Print Diasec, 200 cm × 275.8 cm, 2008

Exhibitions (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Andreas Beitin (2007), Dense Descriptiveness. Photographic simulations http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=22376&int_modo=2 Retrieved on August 6, 2012. Andreas Beitin (2007)
  2. ^ Andreas Beitin (2007), Dense Descriptiveness. Photographic simulations. http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=22376&int_modo=2 Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  3. ↑ The Discovery of Reality - Photography at the Düsseldorf Art Academy from 1970 to today (2011). Catalog. Academy Gallery. Dusseldorf. Germany. ISBN
  4. ↑ Construction sites become pictures , Gerhard Mack in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, November 16, 2014
  5. ^ State of the Art Photography (2012). Catalog, NRW Forum. Dusseldorf. Germany.
  6. ^ Andreas Beitin (2007), Dense Descriptiveness. Photographic simulations. http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=22376&int_modo=2 Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  7. ↑ Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Ulrich Hensel, Zwischenwelten
personal data
SURNAME Hensel, Ulrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German visual artist
DATE OF BIRTH 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH Dusseldorf