flashlab creates photographic still lifes, although the term Volagraphic might be more fitting. In a labour-intensive work process, which employs as many as five people simultaneously for the creation of one photograph, various kinds of objects and materials are brought into space using very short flash exposure times to freeze the movements.
As regards the esthetic impression and the contemplative character of the photographs, they come quite close to the still life genre and barely reveal the dynamics of their evolutional process. Thus, temporary sculptures come into being, giving the group of artwork its name: TS. The work process is analogue to that of a sculptor working with extremely transient materials. The three dimensions are clearly noticeable in the pictures, the fourth, however, is only apparent to the analytical spectator who consciously perceives that what the eyes sees does not conform with the laws of nature. Everything seems to be both in a state of precarious balance and an impossible state of weightlessness. The specific suspense in the photographs unravels in the reversal of a dynamic to a static state. Even though the arrangements are realized as sculptures, there are analogies to two-dimensional forms of depictions such as graphics and calligraphy.
At the same time, the creative process is celebrated as a kind of playful experimental setup to examine gravitational forces (in a more general sense, gravitational acceleration results in every change of the speed vector; in other words, a decrease in total value or a change of direction while maintaining a stable total value of speed). Without a certain chaotic, childlike approach and destructiveness, these pictures would not have come about.
As regards the esthetic impression and the contemplative character of the photographs, they come quite close to the still life genre and barely reveal the dynamics of their evolutional process. Thus, temporary sculptures come into being, giving the group of artwork its name: TS. The work process is analogue to that of a sculptor working with extremely transient materials. The three dimensions are clearly noticeable in the pictures, the fourth, however, is only apparent to the analytical spectator who consciously perceives that what the eyes sees does not conform with the laws of nature. Everything seems to be both in a state of precarious balance and an impossible state of weightlessness. The specific suspense in the photographs unravels in the reversal of a dynamic to a static state. Even though the arrangements are realized as sculptures, there are analogies to two-dimensional forms of depictions such as graphics and calligraphy.
At the same time, the creative process is celebrated as a kind of playful experimental setup to examine gravitational forces (in a more general sense, gravitational acceleration results in every change of the speed vector; in other words, a decrease in total value or a change of direction while maintaining a stable total value of speed). Without a certain chaotic, childlike approach and destructiveness, these pictures would not have come about.
flashlab is a corporate project by FRANK HOFFMANN, a graphic artist from Mannheim and cofounder of “raum mannheim”, an agency for visual communication, and photographer OLIVIER POL MICHEL who lives in Cologne and works in the Mannheim studio. They like to share the concept and fuse with other artists to create new creative processes. The first six series were done in collaboartion with GEORG LENZ, a photographer from Mainz. The following series were produced in collaboration with JEROME MICHEL, an architect who lives and works in Paris.
We'd like to say thank you to ALEXANDER MÜNCH, Ben Burbridge, CHRISTINA STIHLER, CLAUDE BRON, DENNIS JAKOBY, GEORG LENZ, GORDEN MACDONALD, HEINZ PAPST, Jochen Weber, kristin lauer, Klaus Gering, LISA STEIN, MARIO-IGNAZIO CIGNA, Ralph Hillert, RECHER URS, Rhea Häni, ROLF LAUTER, Sébastien Sistebane, THOMAS WOLF and VERENA KUNZE for supporting us and for all the energy and love they share with us.
The exhibits are available in LIMITED EDITIONS, prices on request.
Please send all inquiries per e-mail to: hello@flashlab.de
Follow us on facebook
We'd like to say thank you to ALEXANDER MÜNCH, Ben Burbridge, CHRISTINA STIHLER, CLAUDE BRON, DENNIS JAKOBY, GEORG LENZ, GORDEN MACDONALD, HEINZ PAPST, Jochen Weber, kristin lauer, Klaus Gering, LISA STEIN, MARIO-IGNAZIO CIGNA, Ralph Hillert, RECHER URS, Rhea Häni, ROLF LAUTER, Sébastien Sistebane, THOMAS WOLF and VERENA KUNZE for supporting us and for all the energy and love they share with us.
The exhibits are available in LIMITED EDITIONS, prices on request.
Please send all inquiries per e-mail to: hello@flashlab.de
Follow us on facebook
exhibitions
Artscout One – Mannheim – December 2009 | Kunstverein Mainz – “Hypereal” – February 2010Galerie Art Present – Paris – “Mickeyland” – September 2010 | German Aerospace Center – Cologne – September 2011
Gallery Spot – Paris – “Cosmos” – October 2011 | Gallery Project B – Milan – “Utopia” – January 2012
PUBLICATIONs
Photoworks, Edition 14, May 2010 | Komma, Edition 8, April 2011Cooperation partners
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