Wolfgang Tillmans (DE), Paper Drop
C-Print
51 x 61 cm
C-print
51 x 61 cm
Writing on paper is an ancient cultural technique that was given new impetus by the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, contributing to the spread of literacy. The former patent file archive in which we find ourselves bears witness to the technical knowledge of recent decades, which was still preserved on paper until the end of the 20th century. Although digitalisation has permanently changed the relationship between material and virtual realities, paper remains a working medium for contemporary artists. Reflecting on and transforming paper as an artistic medium can also be seen as part of an awareness of the importance of information carriers in a digital world.
Tillmans challenges the way we think and feel about photography as an artistic medium: he is fascinated by the materiality of his images as produced objects. He is also fascinated by paper, which is more than just a medium on which to print his photographs. This is reflected in the “Paper Drops” series that Tillmans began in 2001: each image shows a sheet of paper that bends, casts shadows and forms drop-shaped cavities. These precise, minimalist compositions develop an abstract, spatial depth all their own. The puzzling nature of each image rests on its appearance as a poetic still life. The viewer tends to be drawn to the perfection of the sculptural shape and to the nuances of the subtle shadows in these images, which hover between the figurative and the abstract.
Wolfgang Tillmans is among the world’s leading contemporary art photographers. His work ranges from conventional portraits to abstract images. It can combine prints, photocopies and a variety of other photographic techniques with found materials to form collage-like arrangements. During a career spanning almost four decades, he has continuously redefined photography genres, subjects, techniques and exhibition strategies. In the early 1990s, Tillmans studied at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design in England. In 2000, he became the first photographer and first non-British artist to receive the prestigious Turner Prize at the Tate Britain in London. From 2003 to 2009, he served as a professor at the Städelschule in Frankfurt. He is a member of the Akademie der Künste, Berlin, and the Royal Academy of Arts, London. Tillmans was the recipient of the 2015 Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography and in 2018, he was awarded the Kaiserring by the city of Goslar, Germany.