Galleries/Venues

art place berlin – forum for contemporary art

"ART based on PHOTOGRAPHY"
until August 31st, 2012
M. A. Russ (Germany / USA, *1945), J. J. Dittloff (Germany / Poland, *1951), W. Quilliam (Australia, * 1963)

Artworks by three reputable international artists who use photography in their artistic creativity in very different ways as a basic technique

Michael A. Russ

New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Hamburg, Munich and Berlin are the most important stations of Russ's creative input while developing his distinctive form of expressionism. More than four decades working in the field of photography and film are the basis for his mastery of art.

”Russ's pictures reflect a spectacular experimental power, incorporating various photographic techniques, like layering, solarization and rayogramming to his negative/positive images. The artist's imaginative, partly eccentric arrangements evoke an atmosphere of mood which lends character and irresistible attraction taking the viewers mind effortlessly to the surreal world of motion pictures.” Kunstmagazin Berlin

Michael A. Russ, born in 1945 Berlin , began his career as a photographer and film-maker in a small studio at New York Times Square in 1969. Soon he was getting assignments for major magazines. Among others, he collaborated with Esquire, GQ, Art Direction Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Playboy and in Europe with Vogue (F) as well as Avant Guarde and reputable trade Magazines.

Aside from working as a consultant on various film projects, he focused on developing his TinTone processes which would henceforth reflect his style of handcolored, tinted 'one of a kind', silver-gelatine prints. His edition "The Compagnie" became part of the permanent collection of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris.
Russ also photographed celebrities for the L.A. Times and L.A. Weekly. Beginning with his 'Prussian Blue' exhibition at the L.A. China Club he focused on exhibiting his Fine Art TinTones, large format.

Michael A. Russ’s avantguardistic approach to photography resulted in his TinTone process, based on 35mm black and white film. His “one of a kind” silver gelatine prints are some-times chemically toned/tinted, often masked/solarized and handcolored. More than four decades of experimentation and exposure through numerous international portfolio publications and exhibitions of TinTone prints make his limited edition artworks unique and valuable.

Johannes J. Dittloff

"Things that lurk unseen beneath the surface appeal to Dittloff. He wants to convey moods, instead of trying to be recognizable. He wants to take the viewer on a journey through his subjective imagery. In this sense, he can be best described as modern photographic impressionist. "My feelings shall be converted into an aesthetic experience and perfected with other media," he says.

After a careful selection and thematic composition of motifs, he dedicates himself masterfully to generating new visual worlds at the computer, that are new and powerful, and far beyond any previously captured photographic reality. He manages to create expressive, inspiring, and often secretive pictures that shape new relationships and provoke uncustomary interpretations.

So we are dealing with a creative who uses photography beyond all imaginations of documentation or authenticity, first for the creation of basic data. He modifies this data in terms of shapes and colors according to his subjective feelings. Thus, in the many years in which he has worked as a visual artist Johannes Dittloff has developed his very own visual language." - Prof. Bernhard Schwichtenberg

In the exhibition can be seen works from the graphic cycle "MEGAPOLIS - FORBIDDEN LIGHTS OF THE CITY" and from the graphic portfolio “HOMAGE TO YVES SAINT LAURENT” from the cycle "MUSES, MANNEQUINS AND MYSTERY".

Wayne Quilliam

"Wayne Quilliam unquestionably is one of Australia's leading Indigenous artists. His exhibition Sorry - more than a word in the Australian capital Canberra attracted more than 200.000 visitors. Making use of a unique metaphorical imagery, Wayne Quilliam skilfully manages to convey the deeply rooted spirituality that pervades Indigenous Australian art and culture." - Peter Tesch, Australian Ambassador to Germany

Wayne Quilliam is considered one of Australia 's most prominent photographic artists working on the global stage with more than 130 solo and group exhibitions worlwide. His work published in more than 1000 books and magazines. In 2008 he won the Human Rights Award for print media. In 2009 he received the NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee) Artist of the Year award, one of Australia 's most prestigious art accolades. In 2011 he was appointed as Adjunct Professor at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. By manipulating the human form with images from nature Wayne Quilliam seemingly impregnates the photographs of his impressive Lowanna series with an essence of life and spirituality.