LICHTTROPFEN | DROP OF LIGHT (PART I)

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN and others

EXHIBITION Mar 3 — Apr 21, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.1 (outside-in / Krakau-Nowa Huta), 2020

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.1 (outside-in / Barcelona), 2022

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.3 (outside-in / Barcelona), 2022

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.2 (outside-in / Barcelona), 2022

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

ANDRÉ KERTÉSZ (1894–1985)

Brick Walls, October 23, 1961, from the Portfolio 'Volume II (1930-1972)', 1961

gelatin silver print, published by Light Gallery New York, 1973

ca. 25 x 20 cm

© Estate of André Kertész 2023 / Courtesy Archive Consulting and Management Services LLC

JAROSLAV RÖSSLER (1902–1990)

Variation A, 1966

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1966

29,3 x 20,5 cm

© Sylva Vítová-Rösslerová

WERNER MANTZ (1901–1983)

Heerlen (Elementary school 'Ulo-School St. Pancratius, Staircase, Architect Frits Peutz), 1932

gelatin silver print, mounted on original board, printed ca. 1932

22,3 x 16,9 cm

© Nederlands Fotomuseum / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.8 (inside-out / Frankfurt V), 2020-2022

ink jet print on backlit-film, light box

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

Crystal Bottles, Buenos Aires, 1928

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1928

17,9 x 12,1 cm

© The Estate of Horacio Coppola

AUGUST KREYENKAMP (1875-1950)

Kristallisation von Harzen (Mikrophotographie) / Crystalized Resins (Microphotograph), ca. 1935

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1935

38,9 x 28,8 cm

© Estate of the Artist

HEINZ HAJEK-HALKE (1898-1983)

Diluviales Aquarium / Diluvian Aquarium, 1962

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1962

© Heinz Hajek-Halke Collection / Agentur Focus

FLORIS M. NEUSÜSS (1937–2020)

Nachtbild, Kassel, aus der Serie 'Nachtstücke' / Night Picture, Kassel, from the series 'Nocturnes', 1989

unique photogram on gelatin silver paper, mounted

41,8 x 32,7 cm

© Estate of Floris M. Neusüss

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.1 (outside-in / Frankfurt-Praunheim), 2020

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

LÁSZLÓ MOHOLY-NAGY (1895–1946)

Gletscher / Glacier, ca. 1931

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1931

36,8 x 27,4 cm

© Hattula Moholy-Nagy / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2023

LUCIA MOHOLY (1894–1989)

Untitled (Staircase, Duplex House, Bauhaus Housing Estate Dessau, Architect Walter Gropius), ca. 1926

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1926

22,6 x 15,7 cm

© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.12 (inside-out / Frankfurt II), 2020-2022

ink jet print on backlit-film, light box

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

KURT KRANZ (1910–1997)

Bauhaus Dessau, ca. 1930

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1930

19,8 x 15 cm

© Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin

AUGUST KREYENKAMP (1875-1950)

Kristallisation von Harzen (Mikrophotographie) / Crystalized Resins (Microphotograph), ca. 1935

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1935-1937

38,8 x 28,9 cm

© Estate of the Artist

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.3 (inside-out / Frankfurt III), 2020-2022

ink jet print on backlit-film, light box

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. 1 (inside-out / Frankfurt II), 2020

ink jet print on backlit-film, light box

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

PETER KEETMAN (1916–2005)

Untitled (1001 Faces), 1957

gelatin silver print, printed later

49,2 x 37,4 cm

© Estate Peter Keetman / F.C. Gundlach Foundation

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.1 (outside-in / München), 2022

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

EVA FUKOVÁ (1927–2015)

Prisma 16, 1950s-1960s

gelatin silver print, printed ca. 1950s-1960s

28,4 x 14,8 cm

© The Estate of Eva Fuková

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.1 (outside-in / Assmannshausen), 2017

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.31 (inside-out / Frankfurt XII), 2020-2022

ink jet print on backlit-film, light box

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. 2 (inside-out / Frankfurt III), 2020

ink jet print on backlit-film, light box

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. (London, Highbury & Islington), from the series 'METROpolis', 2007

c-print/Diasec, mounted on Aludibond / framed

112 x 150 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

MAN RAY (1890–1976)

Rayograph (Feuille morte), 1939

gelatin silver print of a rayograph, printed ca. 1939

18,2 x 23 cm

© Man Ray Trust, Paris; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2023

PETER KEETMAN (1916–2005)

Beschlagene Fensterscheiben / Damped Window Glasses, 1948

6 gelatin silver prints, unique collage, mounted together on original board, printed later

42 x 36,5 cm

© Estate Peter Keetman / F.C. Gundlach Foundation

KAORU OHTO (1929–2020)

Untitled (Abstraction), 1950s

gelatin silver print, printed 1950s

17,1 x 12,4 cm

© Estate of the Artist

HEINRICH KÜHN (1866–1944)

Untitled (Still Life, Flowers in Vase), ca.1914

bromoil transfer print on tissue, printed ca. 1914

40,5 x 27,8 cm

© Estate of the Artist

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.1 (outside-in / Frankfurt-Rödelheim), 2020

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

ANNELIESE HAGER (1904–1997)

Untitled (Photogram), ca. 1945-1950

unique gelatin silver paper, mounted, printed ca. 1945-1950

23,1 x 17,8 cm

© The Estate of Anneliese Hager

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T.2 (outside-in / Dublin), 2022

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. 1 (outside-in / Oberhausen an der Appel), 2022

fine art pigment print, mounted on Aluminium

60 x 45 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. (Gouville III) 1, 2002

c-print/Diasec

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. (Gouville III) 2, 2002

c-print/Diasec

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. (Gouville) 15, 2002

c-print/diasec

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. (Gouville) 19, 2002

c-print/Diasec

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

GÖTZ DIERGARTEN (*1972)

o.T. (Gouville) 9, 2002

c-print/Diasec

100 x 100 cm

© Götz Diergarten; VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2023

Kicken Berlin begins a new exhibition series in 2023 entitled Lichttropfen | Drop of Light. Alluding to the gallery’s first name when it was established in 1974, the drops of light suggest the numerous forms of expression possible in historical and contemporary photography. In the gallery’s fiftieth year, the exhibition series Lichttropfen highlights all of photographic history as well as current discourses. Each exhibit will put a central artistic position, question, or topic in the context of other conceptually or methodologically related works. The gallery’s first name originated from Rudolf Kicken’s formative time as an intern in the early 1970s at the legendary LIGHT Gallery in New York. In 1971 Tennyson Schad (1930-2001) had founded the first contemporary, commercial gallery dedicated solely to artistic photography. Not long after, Kicken and his partner Wilhelm Schürmann took the reins of LIGHT Gallery’s European branch.
On the occasion of EMOP Berlin - European Month of Photography and to kick off the Lichttropfen | Drop of Light series, Kicken Berlin will show new color photographs by Götz Diergarten. The new series inside-out and outside-in will be shown in conversation with related works from the twentieth century including photos by Werner Mantz, Peter Keetman, Jaroslav Rössler, and others.
Diergarten works in the tradition of his mentor Bernd Becher’s serial typographies and in the mode of America’s new color photography. He focuses on otherwise unseen images, the extraordinary of the everyday. Over the last twenty-five years, he has captured functional architecture in urban and rural areas of Europe, with particular interest in series, structures, and color fields (Gouville, Ravenoville, METROpolis, Nowa Huta). His first ventures into using different kinds of glass as semitransparent image transformers were made in the 2010s in Frankfurt’s mid-century churches and in a Duisburg mining village. He found similarly textured glass panels — blown by mouth and installed in the entryways and vestibules — in the housing blocks built by Ernst May in Frankfurt in the 1920s. Depending on the structure of the glass — rippled, ornamental, reinforced, or glass block — and on the point of view, lighting situation and refraction, and background, they grant either soft or vivid images with gentle, amorphous color fields. What they depict can only be guessed rather than known, the glass serving as a second layer that abstracts the reality of the streets, trees, and objects behind. Minimal adjustments to the camera’s angle generate surprisingly different images. The various surfaces of the glass lend each image a different haptic texture that further defamiliarizes the work. Diergarten redefines the classic window image from art history: his windows neither trick the eye with authentic reproduction or offer a window to the world but instead offer a new view on the seemingly familiar. This new perspective is closely related to photography, but the opaque or almost transparent piece of glass inserts itself as an additional medium between the camera and the subject and lends the new perspectives new depths with its glowing structures and surfaces. With some types of glass, like the reinforced glass and glass blocks, optical effects shift the appearance of the image. They recall grids, pixels, and distortions. Only rarely do details like a window cross or board suggest the window’s explicit characteristics. Diergarten often crops his images so that the window frame is not visible; the glass stands in pars pro toto for the whole. The works in the series inside-out, which assumes the view from the inside looking out, are displayed in flat, wall-mounted light boxes. This presentation formulates yet another characteristic of a “light image.” The works from the opposite view, in the series outside-in, are classic prints.
Kicken Berlin has positioned Diergarten’s subtle vistas in a wider photo-historical context as well. New approaches to (re)creating images and to perspectives were pivotal to both New Objectivity photographers and later, at mid-century, to the subjective photography movement. The images from inside-out and outside-in stand alongside counterparts from these various movements of the twentieth century: architectural photography by Werner Mantz and Karl Hugo Schmölz, structural abstractions by Peter Keetman, and op-art montages by Jaroslav Rössler.

The exhibition is part of EMOP Berlin - European Month of Photography in cooperation with Kulturprojekte Berlin.