| | | | | | | | Fritz Block
Riesenstachelschnecke/Murex inflatus (Röntgenaufnahme)
1931
Silbergelatine, 15 x 11,6 cm
© Fritz Block Estate Archive, Stockholm/Hamburg | | | | | NAUTILUS | | | | Snails, Mussels, and Other Mollusks in Photography | | | | | | | 13 January – 15 April, 2018 | | | | Opening: Friday, 12 January, 7-9pm | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Herbert List
Fortsetzung im Irrealen, Ostsee Strand, 1934
Silbergelatine, 12,4 x 14,3 cm
© Herbert List Nachlass, Hamburg | | | | | | In addition to plants and crystals, snails, shells, and other mollusks (conchs) are among the "structural forms in nature" that particularly fascinated the photographers of the modern era. The Alfred Ehrhardt Foundation is presenting the first exhibition dedicated exclusively to this photographic subject matter along with an accompanying catalogue. The starting point of the exhibition is the collection of photographs from the estate of Alfred Ehrhardt, which the photographer published in his photo books Muscheln und Schnecken (Shells and Snails, 1941) and Geprägte Form (Shaped Form, 1968).
The invention of photography in the second half of the 19th century brought new possibilities for scientific documentation, for which the shells of snails and sea animals served as popular motifs. X-ray photography was especially important in this context, providing a view into the inner structure of these natural forms. In the 1920s shells became a subject matter in autonomous, artistic photography. Both natural philosophy and the influence of New Objectivity played a role in this newfound interest, as did the notion of using such "structural forms in nature" as inspiration for design and architecture. Marking the beginning of this interest was the highly acclaimed thematic issue of the Dutch avant-garde magazine Wendingen, which was published in 1923 with shell and snail photographs by Bernard Eilers and J. B. Polak. Somewhat later in the US, Edward Weston created iconic images of modern photography with his photographs of shells, which were shown in 1929 in the influential exhibition Film und Foto in Stuttgart. His photograph Nautilus Shell (1927) is today among the most expensive photographs one can buy. | | | | | | | | | Wols
Ohne Titel [Stillleben – Muschel]
1938–1939, Abzug 1970er Jahre
Silbergelatine, 23,9 x 17,8 cm
© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
Courtesy Kupferstich-Kabinett, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden | | | | | | Other American photographers who creatively used shells and snails in their images include Edward Steichen and Imogen Cunningham. In the German-speaking world, various photographers of New Objectivity are distinguished by their images of shells and snails—from Fred Koch to Aenne Mosbacher, Fritz Kühn, and Gerhard Kerff. Particularly worthy of note are the recently rediscovered photographs of the Hamburg architect and photographer Fritz Block. A true highpoint of the exhibition are the photographs that Alfred Ehrhardt produced for his book Muscheln und Schnecken (Shells and Snails, 1941). In contrast, examples from a Surrealist context offer a very different view of these natural objects, as conveyed by the photographs of Herbert Bayer, Man Ray, and Herbert List. The exhibition concludes with a look at photographic positions after 1945 that have explored the theme of shells and snails from various perspectives, including Josef Sudek, Andreas Feininger, Wols, and Otto Steinert.
Moreover, Alfred Ehrhardt’s prize-winning film Tanz der Muscheln (1956) will be shown. In addition to original photographs, the exhibition also includes real shells from the collection of Alfred Ehrhardt as well as loans from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Through this topic and the manner in which it is presented, the exhibition aims to show the development of public and research-based interest in scientific images and the fertile exchange between the natural sciences and photography. | | | | | | | | | Walter Peterhans
Ohne Titel [Stillleben mit Stoff und Muschel]
um 1929, späterer Abzug
Bromsilbergelatine, 29,2 x 39,3 cm
© Nachlass Walter Peterhans, Museum Folkwang, Essen | | | | | | | Published on the occasion of the exhibition is a 128-page catalogue with 50 color and 78 black-and-white illustrations and three text contributions, hardcover, Michael Imhof Verlag, € 19.95 | | | | | | | | | Fred Koch
Nautilus pompilius
undatiert
Silbergelatine, 23 x 16,5 cm
Courtesy Sammlung Dr. Hans Schön | | | | | | unsubscribe here
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