LET THERE BE LIGHT...

Working on my book about Moskau Metro I spent again some days "underground". One of the (many) fascinating things in the Moscow Metro is the lighting. Here are some examples (fast edited)...

Annino Station

Annino Station

Aerport Station

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station

Kurskaya Station

 Wir hörten: 80 000 Arbeiter 

Haben die Metro gebaut, viele noch nach der täglichen Arbeit 

Oft die Nächte durch. Während dieses Jahres hatte man immer junge Männer und Mädchen 

Lachend aus den Stollen klettern sehen, ihre Arbeitsanzüge 

Die lehmigen, schweißdurchnäßten, stolz vorweisend. 

Alle Schwierigkeiten – 

Unterirdische Flüsse, Druck der Hochhäuser 

Nachgebende Erdmassen – wurden besiegt. Bei der Ausschmückung 

Wurde keine Mühe gespart. Der beste Marmor 

Wurde weit hergeschafft, die schönsten Hölzer 

Sorgfältig bearbeitet. Beinahe lautlos 

Liefen schließlich die schönen Wagen 

Durch taghelle Stollen: für strenge Besucher 

Das Allerbeste. 

(Bertolt Brecht, Inbesitznahme der Metro) 

Les Rencontres d'Arles 2013

WHAT IS "CONTEMPORARY" PHOTOGRAPHY?

Today at the portfolio review at the Arles Photo Festival I got some strange (at least for me strange) "feedback": It is not contemporary photography...

So after some time - and after some very positive feedback by other reviewers - I started to think: Actually what is "contemporary photography"? 

Well, there is an easy definition: The word itself comes from the Latin "con" (=with) and "temporarius " (=of the time, from "tempus", time) and has the same meaning as modern. But this couldn‘t have been the meaning of his remark. I mean, I am not the youngest one anymore, but I am still living, so i consider my pictures as „done in this time“...

After some hours of thinking and chewing over this question I  found in an internet forum an answer:

Contemporary photography is whatever the critics are telling us to pay attention to this week. They come up with something new every week because, if they didn't, they'd be out of a job.

From one of the exhibitions at Les Rencontres d'Arles 2013
Is this "contemporary photography"?

Maybe you can help me out and post your suggestions what is the meaning of contemporary photography...

Les Rencontres d'Arles 2013
ARRIVAL & FIRTS IMPRESSIONS

After driving down the 1,400km from Vienna to Arles this small town immediately presented herself from the best side. Somehow one can fell all the art in the air...

Narrow escape...

Sunset 

m.t.c...