| Artist's Statement
My passion for automobiles with different faces was born out of the
puchase of my first Citroën 2CV, in 1978, as a student in Germany.
I had always loved horses and now I was going a love horsepower.
Car and Camera
The car and the camera have both radically changed the way life is lived
and the nature of one's perception. Both allow to communicate his/her
aspirations, to express his/her personality and to experience freedom,
independence and power.
People sometimes ask me if I only photograph cars. In fact, it is very
rare that I take a picture of just the car because it happens to be
in a certain environment. It is not that simple. The car is only pretext
for me; the camera my tool for building humain relations.
I enjoy people, and I share great moments of escapism with these car
and mechanic enthusiast. The love and passion for vintage cars is a
way of achieving a better understanding of history and also a way of
becoming better prepared for the future. The present sits right between
the two. The present moment fixed in the photographique image has already
became the history of a symbolic moment.
In this work around antique cars, I try to create an atmosphere detached
from our modern day times. Each encounter is like discovering a moment
of history, which is repeating itself with all its oders, colors and
noises. All senses are awakaned when I describe a certain photographic
reality with black and white images, which will then become my reality
at that given moment - a trace of memory.
By fixing images, which seem to come from another time, I create a different
reality respecting the authenticity of the events. The photographique
image is somehow the witness of a real moment, felt and recorded with
my sensitivity. However, in fact, it represents much more than a document
of a fleeting moment. It becomes for me an interpretation of bonds and
relationships between men/women and their driving machines.
A love story
When I was a student in Germany, I participated in a student exchange
program at my university , and in 1978 came to France for one semester
. During that time, friends of mine would take me along for picnics
in their 2 CV, and in less than 2 minutes the front and back seats would
be pulled out through the car doors, becoming comfortable lawn chairs.
I was very impressed by this and I began to get interested in 'that'
Citroën. When I returned to Germany, the first thing I did was
I trade in my blue beelte for a red 2CV. I bought it from a car dealer
who sold American limousines. He apparently was unaware of the fact
that it was standard on those small French cars to have four doors.
An option considered almost a luxery in Germany at that time. Shortly
thereafter, the exhaust clamp on my 2CV became loose and was making
a lot of noise. I took it to a Citroën mechanic for it's first
minor repair and it cost me pay 50,00 DM . That was a lot of money and
I was furious. From then on, with the help of a friend, I started doing
my own repairs and began to get familiar with the car. Over time grew
quite attachted It became more than a simple means of transportation,
it was simply a great pleasure to drive it , especially while traveling
through France exploring and gathering my life.
Technical notes
Being an enthusiast of "straight photography" I photograph with a 35mm
cameara using available light and full framing. This suits my nature
best and gives me great freedom in taking pictures. I compose my photographs
very tightly to set up a certain harmony and a better readability in
the chaos of appearances. Depending of their usage, I make prints of
my images for collectors, exhibitions and/or printing. The original
prints are enlarged manually on silver salt papers.
If you have any question for comments, please e-mail us at editorial@hobokenalmanac.com.
|
