In the first of her new series of guest blog posts, Photoventure’s German correspondent Kat Kluge makes the case why every photographer should visit an exhibition every month.
I believe everyone should visit an exhibition at least once a month; it could be of anything, the important thing is that you make yourself get out of your daily routine to explore something. The pay-off? A broadened mind, of course, but also a healthy reminder of what it means to be human.
Take the current portrait exhibition at the Museum of European Culture in Dahlem, Berlin. ‘I’m Not Afraid of Anything: Portraits of Young Europeans’ shows a diverse pick of Romanian, Portuguese, Moldovan, Icelandic, Italian, British and German young people gazing directly at the viewer.
A total of 100 pictures taken by Berlin-based Edgar Zippel, accompanied by interviews that give you an insight into the thoughts, dreams, expectations and fears of the youngsters portrayed.
The portraits are engaging and environmental in a minimalistic way, giving you a couple of clues as to what the person likes doing or where they belong.
The interviews fill in more details and although a good picture shouldn’t require an explanation, the accompanying interviews are really useful because the portraits make you interested enough to care and to find out more.
The subjects look directly at the viewer, creating a sense of connection. Perhaps you’re thinking, this isn’t really new. And you’re right, but although this type of exhibition isn’t particularly groundbreaking in its subject matter, it brings out some universally human traits and reminds you that no matter who you are, whether you are European or not, whether you are rich, poor, young or old, you can relate to these people because you are human. An important thing to be reminded of at all times, and one of the things that portrait photography does better than most other forms of expression.
Perhaps if exhibition visits were compulsory, there’d be a lot less hostility in the world.
The post Portrait photography makes the world a better place appeared first on PhotoVenture.