Andreas Gursky
Matthew Marks Gallery
For the artist’s fifth time showing at the Matthew Marks gallery since 1997, photographer Andreas Gursky presents twelve large-scale color photographs that, in usual-Gursky manner, succeed in wowing the viewer with their awe-inspiring qualities. In his visually complex, cleverly executed photographs, Gursky comments on the mass population of the world, drawing attention to the enormous magnitude of industry, urban sprawl, mass media, mass culture, and technology in the modern age. For this new series, he traveled across Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East to capture subjects ranging from ancient and modern marvels of the world, Formula One racing, and a mass sporting events.
Gursky’s work often emphasizes the repetition and seriality of supermarkets, super malls, and super-attractions: the world affected by mass-production, consumer culture, and the outcomes of touristic production and construction. The James Bond Island series is a change of pace from his usual scenes of skyscrapers, stock markets, or crowded supermarket aisles. It is an unexpected surprise to see a Gursky series depicting a beautiful, serene landscape of a chain of volcanic islands located off the coast of Thailand. However, upon closer inspection, the viewer is able to make out tiny vacation homes on the shores of these islands, and several boats meandering through the calm waters, spoiling the “serene landscape” altogether.
An obvious strong point in his work is in the impressive, complex organization of large crowds for his subjects, of the same magnitude of mass gatherings conducted by American photographer, Spencer Tunick (except in Gursky’s case, they are fully clothed). Besides this striking characteristic, perhaps the most impressive part of his work is the all-over detail of his large-scale color photographs, and the impossible angles from which he shoots. In Pyongyang I and IV, depicting a huge gymnastics event in Korea called the “Mass Games”, it is hard to tell if the nearly 10,000 gymnasts and children are posing exclusively for Gursky’s camera, or if he just happened to capture an already-existing performance with perfect light and composition. If so, then this German photographer is one lucky shutterbug! The dizzying angle from which he captured Bahrain I, a Formula One racing track in the middle of a desert, causes the viewer loses all perspective. From where are we viewing this? From a tower or a helicopter? From land or from above? Is this digitally manipulated, or is this a no frills photograph? To add to this visual confusion, there are no noticeable shadows, even though it is clearly a very sunny desert day. This is an example of how Gursky’s works necessitates further inspection for details, and often a second glance. In forces the viewer to ponder “is this real or not? Does this place and time really exist?”
Although ten-foot tall large-scale photographs characterize this exhibition, along with most of Gursky’s work, I can’t help but wonder how these works would work on a smaller scale. Would the impact be different? Would they be more or less dramatic? Would they carry an entirely different message? That is for the viewer to decide.
Showing for the fifth time at this gallery, Gursky is obviously a very accomplished and talented photographer, whose work always generates respect and admiration from the viewer. I have always imagined a whole production team behind the scenes of his work to help with the organization of subjects, lighting, and very often, somebody who has access to a helicopter or plane. However he does it, there must be a lot more involved than just a simple click of the shutter-button.
