FMP Oral Presentation

My presentation about the plans for my Final Major Project at Falmouth University.

References

MALITZ, David. n.d. ‘Perspective | Always Different, Always the Same: Mark E. Smith of the Fall Was a Cranky, Uncompromising Genius’. Washington Post [online]. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/01/25/always-different-always-the-same-mark-e-smith-of-the-fall-was-a-cranky-uncompromising-genius/ [accessed 28 Jan 2021].

CRITCHLEY, Simon. 2015. Memory Theater. New York: Other Press.

CURTIS, Verna Posever. 2011. Photographic Memory: The Album in the Age of Photography. 1st ed. New York, N.Y. : [Washington, D.C.] : New York, N.Y: Aperture ; Library of Congress ; Available in North America through D.A.P./Distributed Art Pub.

RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2021. ‘The Paprika Village (Das Paprikadorf)’. Marcel Rauschkolb Photography [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/thepaprikavillage [accessed 28 Jan 2021].

RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2021. ‘Greetings from the Parade Ground (Grüsse Vom Übungsplatz)’. Marcel Rauschkolb Photography [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/greetingsfromtheparadeground [accessed 28 Jan 2021].

List of Figures

Figure 1: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Hangar at the August-Euler-Airfield

Figure 2: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. The Parade Ground. From the portfolio »Greetings from the Parade Ground«. 

Figure 3: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Former officer’s mess, Lilienthalstrasse.

Figure 4: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Sankt Stephan is the home of Germany’s oldest airfield, founded in 1908. From the portfolio »The Paprika Village«.

Figure 5: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Missiles and Mythology. From the portfolio »Greetings from the Parade Ground«.

Figure 6: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Former US Army canteen, Llienthalstrasse.

Figure 7: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Filling station on the former military area.

Figure 8: Unknown maker. 1914 – 1918. Allemagne No. 42. – Camp de Darmstadt (Hesse). – La salle de lecture. [postcard]. Collection du Comité international de la Croix-Rouge a Genève [own collection].

Figure 9: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. The Douglas DC-8-segment of the August-Euler-Museum.

Figure 10: Mark KLETT. 2002. Four views from four times and one shoreline, Lake Tenaya. [online image]. Available at: http://www.markklettphotography.com/yosemite-in-time [accessed 27 Jul 2020].

Figure 11: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Religion as a vital part of the settlement. From the portfolio »The Paprika Village«.

Figure 12: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Spreads from the portfolio »The Paprika Village«.

Figure 13: Verna Posever CURTIS. 2011. Photographic Memory: The Album in the Age of Photography [cover]. 1st ed. New York, N.Y. : [Washington, D.C.] : New York, N.Y: Aperture ; Library of Congress ; Available in North America through D.A.P./Distributed Art Pub.

Figure 14: Phil STERN. 1961. Pages from ‘January 1961’ [gelatin-silver developed-out prints, mounted back-to-back; spiral bound]. From: Verna Posever Curtis. 2011. Photographic Memory: The Album in the Age of Photography (pp. 60 – 61).

Figure 15: RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. »The Paprika Village« Photographic sculpture 2 (The Stars and Stripes Compound) [Filmstill]. Available at: https://vimeo.com/453745444 [accessed 2 Sep 2020].

Figure 16: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. 1893 and today. From the portfolio »Greetings from the Parade Ground«.

Figure 17: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. »Offizier Frühstücks-Casino« (Officers breakfast mess). From the portfolio »Greetings from the Parade Ground«.

Figure 18: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. »Darmstadt Dustoff«. From the portfolio »Greetings from the Parade Ground«.

Figure 19: GEBAUER, Peter. 2020. ‘Foto-Geschichte zum Paprika-Dorf’. Griesheimer Anzeiger, Weihnachts-Anzeiger. 09 December 2020, p. IV.

Figure 20: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Page »Hessenflieger and Darmstadt Flying Club«. From the portfolio »Greetings from the Parade Ground«.

Figure 21: Unknown maker. ca. 1928. G.M.G. 2 aeroplane. Stadtarchiv Griesheim.

Figure 22: Unknown maker. 1944. Aerial photo from 12 December 1944: Bombardment of Griesheim. Available at: https://www.westwald.de/westwald-wissen/wald-unter-druck/#W1 [accessed 25 January 2021]

Figure 23: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. The former »Wuerttemberg Officer‘s Club«.

It’s printed!

Fig. 1: Rauschkolb, 2020. Title of »Greetings from the Parade Ground«

When working on a portfolio, one of the greatest moments is seeing it real, tangible, printed. The first portfolio of my travels through my neighbourhood, »The Paprika Village« (Rauschkolb, 2020), was a DIN A4 booklet, digitally printed and bound by myself. As a reminiscence to photographers’ albums of the 1930s and 1940s (Curtis 2011, 59 ff., 142 ff.), I used wire binding. 

»Make it big!« was the advice my tutor Colin Pantall gave me in a webinar. I gladly followed. I like small, tiny publications, they have a certain charm, but for the images of »Greetings from the Parade Ground«, I found a large-sized publication appropriate. Because my network of people who support me grew, I needed more issues than before. I started researching at »The Newspaper Club«. I like their products, but in this case, the paper stock-size-edition ratio was not satisfying. As a solution, I used an approach I have used earlier in another project: Ordering printed, plain sheets and assembling them by myself. So I ordered DIN A2 (594×420) posters, printed on both sides in the offset-process. I used 135 g/m²-paper, which is stable enough but also folds nicely.

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Fig. 2 – 10: Rauschkolb, 2020. Spreads from »Greetings from the Parade Ground«

When they arrived, I folded them to a DIN A3 (297×420 mm) format and assembled them to the publications. I folded the ones destinated to be shipped by post a second time to get a DIN A4 (297×210 mm) format. To get everything nice and clean, I had to fold each sheet separately and then assemble them. The last step was smoothing with a roller to reduce the volume. With a little bit of routine, the process wasn’t very time-consuming.

The results meet my expectations: I can show my images in a big size and have a publication which appealingly presents the work. As a side effect, I like the combinations, that result when opening the book. Because of the folding, the left page shows image one; the right page shows image two. With this, a new, temporary image evolves.

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Fig. 11 – 20: Rauschkolb, 2020. Spreads from »Greetings from the Parade Ground«

For the first flight, I printed an edition of 20. If people get interested, I will publish a second edition. While working on this, I think about re-publishing the first portfolio in the same way.

Fig. 21: Hornstra and Van Bruggen, 2009. The Sochi Project

Inspirations

Three of Rob Hornstra’s and Arnold van Bruggen’s publications served as a first inspiration. All are printed on newspaper stock. If the »The Sochi Project« (Hornstra and Van Bruggen 2009) sheets were laid together, a giant image of an abandoned site appears. »On the other side of the mountains« (Hornstra and Van Bruggen 2010) can be read as a regular magazine with images and text. But with two issues and a large wall (six meters), the reader can build his exhibition. The last one, »The Europeans« (Hornstra and Van Bruggen 2019), serves as a promotional paper for their new project as the first one mentioned.

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  Fig. 22: Hornstra and Van Bruggen, 2010. On the other side of the mountains

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  Fig. 23: Hornstra and Van Bruggen, 2019. The Europeans

Fig. 22: Hornstra and Van Bruggen, 2010. On the other side of the mountains and Fig. 23: Hornstra and Van Bruggen, 2019. The Europeans

Another, lesser-known, but exciting publication is »49/51« by Swedish photographer Björn Larsson (Larsson 2016). He is dealing with abandoned Swedish wooden houses and barns. Similar to my work is his interest in the traces of the past and the usage of new and archival images.

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Fig. 24 – 26: Larsson, 2016. 49/51

In summary, I can say that this is an excellent and affordable way to publish a portfolio.

List of Figures:

Figure 1: RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. Title of »Greetings from the Parade Ground«. Griesheim. Self-published. Images of the publication are available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/printed-greetings-from-the-parade-ground

Figure 2 – 20: RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. Spreads from »Greetings from the Parade Ground«. Griesheim. Self-published.

Figure 21: HORNSTRA, Rob and Arnold VAN BRUGGEN. 2009. The Sochi Project. Netherlands: The Sochi Project.

Figure 22: HORNSTRA, Rob and Arnold VAN BRUGGEN. 2010. On the Other Side of the Mountains. Netherlands.

Figure 23: HORNSTRA, Rob and Arnold VAN BRUGGEN. 2019. The Europeans. Netherlands.

Figure 24 – 26: LARSSON, Björn. 2016. Björn Larsson: 49/51. Stockholm: Journal.

Resources:

RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. The Paprika Village/ Das Paprikadorf. Griesheim. Self-published. Images of the publication are available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/printed-the-paprika-village

CURTIS, Verna Posever. 2011. Photographic Memory: The Album in the Age of Photography. 1st ed. New York, N.Y. : [Washington, D.C.]: New York, N.Y: Aperture; Library of Congress; Available in North America through D.A.P./Distributed Art Pub.

HORNSTRA, Rob and Arnold VAN BRUGGEN. 2009. The Sochi Project. Netherlands: The Sochi Project.

HORNSTRA, Rob and Arnold VAN BRUGGEN. 2010. On the Other Side of the Mountains. Netherlands.

HORNSTRA, Rob and Arnold VAN BRUGGEN. 2019. The Europeans. Netherlands.

LARSSON, Björn. 2016. Björn Larsson: 49/51. Stockholm: Journal.

The project’s first movie

Fig. 1: Rauschkolb 2020. »Greetings from the Parade Ground«: Lilienthalstrasse

Since my project about sculptor Christoph Kappesser’s studio, the exploration of sculpture, primarily the photographic, plays a role in my artistic process. Caused by Covid 19-restrictions 360°-photography and virtual reality came along.

Fig. 2: Rauschkolb 2011. Still from Leica 3f

What I neglected was the moving image. My first, for me, still a meaningful movie, »Leica 3f« (Rauschkolb 2011). is now almost ten years old. In the project »14. Stock« (Rauschkolb 2020), the six movies were an integral part of the work. With all this in mind, I started to work on a first film about the former parade ground area.

It is about the buildings on the northern side of Lilienthalstrasse. An old street, on a map from 1915 named »Hauptlager-Strasse« («Main Camp Road«) (Merschroth 2020). Here are the traces of military history still visible. While on the southern part, the »Officer’s Breakfast Mess« is decaying, on the other side the former »Württemberger Stabs- und Offziers-Gebäude« (»Wuerttemberg Staff and Officer’s Building«) waits for its demolition. For the walk, I have chosen black and white imagery, because it displays the forms, the structure of the buildings in an excellent way. The footage is interrupted by colour stills. Usually, I don’t mix black and white- and colour-images very often. The results are, in most cases, unsatisfactory. Here it works in my eyes. The colour strengthens the detail shots.

In the soundtrack, I wanted to reflect the military history. Luckily, I found a recording of marching soldiers on freesound.org (‘Freesound – “R16-15-Army Marching.Wav” by Craigsmith’ 2020). To strengthen the gloomy atmosphere, I created different sounds with the »Helm« (‘Helm – Free Synth by Matt Tytel’ 2020) and »Pigments« (Gareste 2020) software synthesizers. The final mix was done in Garage Band and added to the movie in Premiere.

Resources:

RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2011. Leica 3f [Film]. Available at: https://vimeo.com/23724134 [accessed 21 Dec 2020].

RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. ‘»14. Stock«: Die Filme’. Marcel Rauschkolb Photography [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/14terstockmovies [accessed 21 Dec 2020].

MERSCHROTH, Peter. 2020. ‘Griesheim Sand’. Sammlung Peter Merschroth [online]. Available at: http://www.sammlung-merschroth.de/Griesheim_Sand/griesheim_sand.html [accessed 29 Oct 2020].

‘Freesound – “R16-15-Army Marching.Wav” by Craigsmith’. 2020. [online]. Available at: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/480656/ [accessed 21 Dec 2020].

‘Helm – Free Synth by Matt Tytel’. 2020. Helm [online]. Available at: https://tytel.org/helm/ [accessed 21 Dec 2020].

List of Figures:

Figure 1: RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. »Greetings from the Parade Ground«: Lilienthalstrasse [Film]. Available at: https://vimeo.com/492845516 [accessed 21 Dec 2020].

Figure 2: RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2011. Still from Leica 3f [Film]. Available at: https://vimeo.com/23724134 [accessed 21 Dec 2020].

It’s in the news!

Reproduction of the article about me and my work in the Christmas edition of the local newspaper

An article about the first portfolio, »The Paprika Village«, and the project in general, was published yesterday in our local newspaper »Griesheimer Anzeiger«.

I came in contact with editor Peter Gebauer while researching for my new portfolio »Greetings from the Parade Ground«. He supported me with lots of images and useful background information – Thank you for that! Through this article, another newspaper showed interest in the story: I have an appointment with them for an interview next week.

Figure:

GEBAUER, Peter. 2020. ‘Foto-Geschichte zum Paprika-Dorf’. Griesheimer Anzeiger, Weihnachts-Anzeiger. 09 December 2020, p. IV.

Simon Critchley’s »Memory Theater«

Fig. 1: Kesselman 2009. Portrait of Simon Critchley

I am working on a project about memory, of history traces and what caused them. From my tutor Colin, I got the recommendation to read philosopher Simon Critchley’s book »Memory Theater«.

A small, nicely made book arrived, and I started to read. I expected a philosophical textbook and got a well written fictional text about a philosopher who receives twelve boxes from a late colleague. The boxes are labelled with the signs of the zodiac and contain texts and documents. While he works his way through the boxes, he tells the story of philosophy.

But it is also, and more critical for me, a story of memory. One of them that runs through the entire book is the idea of the »Memory Theater«. The idea of it was first described in the 18th century by Italian Guilio Camillo. It was thought as a wooden structure, based on Vitruv’s description of a Roman theatre. What makes it different is the fact that there is only one spectator, located on the stage, looking into space generally used for the audience (Fabrizi 2019). In the stories progress, Simon, the narrator, builds his memory theatre in a dutch garden.

Fig. 2: Unkown no Date. Camillo’s theatre. Stanford Visual Arts Services interpretation. 

»In the Aquarius box, I found many strange maps« (Critchley 2015, 9) is a quote from the book. And it fits my portfolio’s story. While researching, I found a lot of maps of the place, from simple geographical maps to aeronautical charts. But also more illustrative, showing the R.A.F. attacks in WWII or missile sites in Germany. I used some of them in my portfolio; they add another layer of information to the final composite landscapes.

But besides the maps, the idea of the memory theatre and how Critchley deals with it is fascinating. And he thinks about the relation of the past and the future. »Maybe the Hegelian memory theater is not just a map of the past, but a plan of the future, a predictive memory theater. Everyone could have their own memory theater. Everyone was their own memory theater« (Critchley 2015, 41). I think I can adapt it to the space I am investigating. I see and photograph the traces of the past; I use old images, postcards, documents to create my images. But I know that the decay of the traces points towards a future change. I am building my own »Memory Theater« with photography and design. Critchley also writes, that »With the association of memory with locus and location, the idea of a memory house, a memory place or a meory theater was born« (Critchley 2015, 16 – 17). Ok, I haven’t build a house, the theatre is, at this time, only digital as a website and a PDF. But the plan is to bring it into the physical form of a book and/ or an exhibition. In Critchley’s opinion, that a city or a town can be seen as a memory theatre. It is a »spatial network of memory traces« (Critchley 2015, 40). This is the way how I see the area I am discovering.

»Memory is repetition. Sure. But it is repetition with a difference. It is not recitation. It is repetition that creates a felt variation in the way things appear. Repetition is what makes possible novelty. This is what Mark E. Smith meant. Memory needs to be imagination. Transfiguration. Now, I saw it« (Critchley 2015, 82). This is the final sentence in the book, and I would agree. A lot of facts, like the area’s military use, often repeated, always, but always a little bit different. Before the military use, the area was a natural one. And today, a part of it is a natural reserve. In others, where there are ruins today, nature is working its way back. And where once American families lived, a new residential area will be built soon.

It was great fun to read this book, and I like, that he mentions The Fall sometimes (Mark E. Smith was their founder and their brain). Or, to cite Critchley the last time: »a mighty pop combo from Manchester, England, led by Mark E. Smith« (Critchley 2015, 91). Through Simon, I rediscovered The Fall and often listened to them while working on my portfolio.

Resources:

CRITCHLEY, Simon. 2015. Memory Theater. New York: Other Press.

FABRIZI, Mariabruna. 2019. ‘Spatializing Knowledge: Giulio Camillo’s Theatre of Memory (1519-1544) – SOCKS’. [online]. Available at: http://socks-studio.com/2019/03/03/spatializing-knowledge-giulio-camillos-theatre-of-memory-1519-1544/ [accessed 15 Nov 2020].

List Figures:

Figure 1: Todd KESSELMANN. 2009. Portrait of Simon Critchley. [online]. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dark_Portrait_of_Simon_Critchley.jpg [accessed 7 Dec 2020].

Figure 2: Unknown maker. no Date. Camillo’s theatre. Stanford Visual Arts Services interpretation. [online]. Available at: http://socks-studio.com/2019/03/03/spatializing-knowledge-giulio-camillos-theatre-of-memory-1519-1544/ [accessed 15 Nov 2020].

Oral Presentation PHO704 »Sustainable Prospects«

This is the oral presentation about my project »Welcome to the Parade Ground«. The accompanying portfolio can be viewed here: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/marcelwipportfoliopho704

Resources:

RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. ‘Work in Progress Portfolio PHO703’. Marcel Rauschkolb Photography [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/marcelwipportfoliopho703 [accessed 27 Oct 2020].

ECKSTEIN, Ursula. 2008. Ecksteins Luftfahrtgeschichte Darmstadt. Darmstadt: Justus von Liebig Verlag.

GÖLLER, Andreas and Annegret HOLTMANN. 2008. Ein Jahrhundert Luftfahrtgeschichte zwischen Tradition, Forschung und Landschaftspflege: der August-Euler-Flugplatz in Darmstadt-Griesheim. Darmstadt: WGB (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft).

LYNCH, Kevin. 2009. What Time Is This Place? Nachdr. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

CRITCHLEY, Simon. 2015. Memory Theater. New York: Other Press.

HIRSCH, Marianne. 2017. ‘Ce Qui Touche á La Mémoire’. Esprit (2017/10), 42 – 61.

PERKINS, Chris. 2009. ‘Thinking about Maps’ 25.

HKW – HAUS DER KULTUREN DER WELT. 2020. Befragung des Atlas – Episode 1 [Film]. Berlin. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZuYJhWDBoU [accessed 21 Nov 2020].

CROSS, Karen and Julia PECK. 2010. ‘Editorial: Special Issue on Photography, Archive and Memory’. photographies 3(2), 127–38.

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Detail from the »Stars and Stripes-Compound«.

Figure 2 – 5: Rauschkolb 2020. Portfolio »Das Paprikadorf«.

Figure 6: Rauschkolb 2020. The Parade Ground.

Fig.7: Unknown maker. ca. 1900. German postcard. [own collection]

Fig. 8.: Unknown maker. ca. 1920. French postcard. Stadtarchiv Griesheim.

Fig. 9: Griesheimer Anzeiger. 1981. Parade on open day. Archiv Griesheimer Anzeiger.

Figure 10: Unknown 1909/ 1910. August Euler in one of his aeroplanes. Stadtarchiv Griesheim.

Figure 11: Rauschkolb 2020. At the airfield.

Figure 12: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. At the »Stars and Stripes-Compound«.

Figure 13: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Former US-canteen, Lilienthalstrasse.

Figure 14: Stadt Griesheim 2020. Aerial view of the conversion area. [online] Available at: https://griesheim-gestalten.de/page/fnp [accessed 12 Aug 2020].

Figure 15: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Detail from the former Officer’s breakfast mess.

Figures 16 – 23: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Relicts on the area of the former Parade Ground.

Figure 24: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. 1893 and today.

Figures 25 and 26: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Hull segment of a Douglas DC-8, part of the »August-Euler-Museum«.

Figure 27: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Former »Stars and Stripes-Compound«.

Figure 28: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Nehringstrasse Family Housing.

Figure 29: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Bus stop at Flughafenstrasse.

Figure 30: Unknown maker. 1946. My father in Mulsanne.

Figure 31: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Recommendation letter 1948.

Figure 32: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. »Stars and Stripes Compound«.

Figure 33: DOD FLIGHT INFORMATION PUBLICATION. 1984. Sichtan- und abflugstrecken (1984). Sammlung Markus Lenz [online]. Available at: https://www.pennula.de/darmstadt-flugplatz-airbase-flughafen-airport.htm [accessed 18 Nov 2020]

Figure 34: -Militär Bauamt- KOLB. 1915. Truppenübungsplatz Darmstadt -LAGE-PLAN- des Barackenlagers. Stadtarchiv Griesheim.

Figure 35: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Part of a model kit.

Figure 36: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Timeline.

Figure 37: Tobias WOOTTON. 2016. View of the exhibition »Aby Warburg. Mnemosyne Bilderatlas« at ZKM | Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe. Available at: https://zkm.de/de/event/2016/09/aby-warburg-mnemosyne-bilderatlas/der-mnemosyne-bilderatlas [accessed 13 Nov 2020].

Figure 38: Unknown maker. No date. Reconstruction of panel 32 (Summer / Fall 1929) with the originals from the Photographic Collection of the Warburg Institute, London. Available at: https://zkm.de/en/aby-warburg-biography [accessed 23 Nov 2020].

Figures 39 – 41: Andrea BOTTO. 2014. ‘19.06_26.08.1945’. Andrea Botto Photography [online]. Available at: https://www.andreabotto.it/19-06_26-08-1945/ [accessed 29 Oct 2020].

Figure 42: Aikaterini GEGISIAN. 2020. ‘The Sea Blues (2016)’. Aikaterini Gegisian [online]. Available at: https://gegisian.com/portfolio/the-sea-blues/ [accessed 8 Nov 2020].

Figure 43: Grayson PERRY. 2004. Map of an Englishman. The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art [online]. Available at: https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/grayson-perry-map-of-an-englishman-2004/ [accessed 13 Oct 2020].

Figure 44: Rirkrit TIRANIVANIJA. 2011. Untitled 2008 – 2011 (the map of the land of feeling) I. The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art [online].

Available at: https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/rirkrit-tiravanija-untitled-2008-2011-the-map-of-the-land-of-feeling-i-iii-2008-2011/ [accessed 8 Oct 2020].

Figure 45: Rirkrit TIRANIVANIJA. 1995. Atlas I from Atlas I – IV. The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art [online]. Available at: https://www.moma.org/artists/7479 [accessed 14 Oct 2020].

Figure 46: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Detail of the »Stars and Stripes-Compound«.

Figure 47: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. First 3D-sketch of a photographic object.

Figure 48: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Grid for the »Stars and Stripes-Compound«.

Participating in an editing challenge

A little time ago, but worth mentioning was my participation in the »Online Editing Challenge«. This event, organised by the DFA (»Deutsche Fotografische Akademie«/ »German Photographic Academy«) and presented live on Facebook (29 October 2020) was part of their online special »Fotodialoge« in cooperation with the »Darmstadt Days of Photography« (https://dtdf.de) and »dieMotive« (https://diemotive.de) (‘FOTODIALOGE | 26. – 31.10.20 – Deutsche Fotografische Akademie’ 2020).

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The other players besides me were:

• Ute Noll (https://unoartspace.com), she is a jury member of the »Merck-Prize for Photography« like me. Also, she owns a gallery in Stuttgart and works as the photo-editor of »DU«-magazine.
• Wolfgang Zurborn from Cologne (http://www.wolfgangzurborn.de). He is a member of the DFA, a photographer and teacher. His speciality is editing photo books.

In the run-up, we received 100 images from Wolfgang Gscheidle’s (https://www.instagram.com/wolfgang_from_stuttgart) project »Auf der Suche nach der schwäbischen Kehrwoche« (»In search of the Swabian sweeping week«). The task was to produce an edit of the series and present and discuss this in the live event.

A short excursus for explanation: »Kehrwoche« describes the cleaning activities of pavement and staircases in a block of flats. The term is often cited as »highly characteristic of Swabian and Wuerttemberg« and »often seen as their pettifogging obsession with order« (‘Kehrwoche’ 2019).

Back to the edit: I started to sort the images into groups, something I do in every project. The next step was to select for me meaningful photos out of the hundred. With this selection, I started editing the first version. While doing this, I noticed that another order was possible and started the second edit.

Fig. 24: Rauschkolb 2020. Screenshot from editing Wolfgang Gscheidle’s images

In the last step, I arranged the images to a small book dummy in Adobe Indesign. With these two versions, I entered the challenge.

What I learned: It was great fun two be in an event with Ute and Wolfgang, both experienced in image selection and editing. There were some similarities, but also differences in our edits. I couldn’t say which is the best one, because each one is good in its way. Perhaps only the photographer, Wolfgang Gscheidle, can decide which one suits him and his project best. Also, working with someone else’s material, a person you don’t know and haven’t spoke with about his work is challenging. If this would be a job, my next step would be to talk about them with Wolfgang to find out what are his thoughts and would go on with editing for a new version. 

If you are interested: The DFA published the complete session, including the photographers and other DFA-members comments on YouTube. The whole session is in German only, but you can use the subtitle-function.

Part one (my presentation starts at 17:00): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3WqQv8Xwjw&feature=youtu.be

Part two with Wolfgang Gscheidles comments on our work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXtVvgF7YaY

References:

‘FOTODIALOGE | 26. – 31.10.20 – Deutsche Fotografische Akademie’. 2020. [online]. Available at: https://dfa.photography/post/fotodialoge [accessed 27 Nov 2020].

‘Kehrwoche’. 2019. Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kehrwoche&oldid=929367284 [accessed 27 Nov 2020].

List of Figures:

Figure 1 – 23: Wolfgang GSCHEIDLE. 2020. Images from »Auf der Suche nach der schwäbischen Kehrwoche«. From Marcel Rauschkolb. 2020. ‘Edit V2 for the DFA Online Editing Challenge’ [PDF].

Figure 24: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Lightroom-screenshot, editing Wolfgang Gscheidle’s images.

Aby Warburg – a recent discovery

I could call this module of my studies »the time of recent discoveries«; on one side photographically through the findings on my walks and in the archives. But also with the discovery of excellent readings and the people behind it.

Fig. 1: Unknown maker. ca. 1900. Aby Warburg

Aby Warburgs and his »Mnemosyne Bilderatlas« is one of these discoveries. Born in 1866 in Hamburg, he was a cultural scientist, and worked on Florentine art before the first world war. In professional circles, this work is considered very sound (Heil et al., Mnemmosyne Atlas, 2020).

But what I found much more exciting is his work on »The Atlas«. Warburg started working on it in 1924 and worked on it until he died in 1929.

But what is »The Atlas« and who is Mnemosyne?

Fig. 2: Wootton. 2016. View of the exhibition »Aby Warburg. Mnemosyne Bilderatlas« at ZKM | Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe

Technically speaking, the Atlas is a collection of 63 panels (170×140 cm), covered with black fabric (Gregori 2020). Mounted on this are roundabout one thousand pictures. Warburg used photographs, but also illustrations from books, original graphics and newspaper clippings (Heil et al., Mnemosyne Atlas, 2020). For me, as a designer, this sounds what we call today a »mood board«. And the name? Mnemosyne is the Greek goddess of memory and the mother of the muses. Warburg chose her as the patron saint of his project (Heil et al., Mnemmosyne Atlas, 2020).

What did he want to achieve with this?

The Atlas’s nucleus was the history of style [»Stilgeschichte« in German]. It was born from the attempt to »pursue elementary forms of passion from the ancient world [»Die Antike«] to the Renaissance« (Erhard Schüttpelz in HKW – Haus der Kulturen der Welt 2020, Episode 1, 13:00). The plan was to publish it as a book project with loose panels that could be rearranged (Roberto Ohrt in HKW – Haus der Kulturen der Welt 2020, Episode 1, 03:18). It was a working tool, in which »pictures are contextualised with other images« (Axel Heil in HKW – Haus der Kulturen der Welt 2020, Episode 1, 02:21). In a video about this work, it is said, that »each Atlas-board is to be understood as an independent image. As a picture, it has the same properties as the pictures Warburg examines« (Claudia Wedepohl in HKW – Haus der Kulturen der Welt 2020, Episode 2, 17:00).

Fig. 3: Unknown maker. No date. Reconstruction of panel 32 (Summer / Fall 1929) with the originals from the Photographic Collection of the Warburg Institute, London

What caught my attention was one of Warburgs’ word pairings, the »Bilderfahrzeuge« [image vehicles]. He invented it in 1905 and expanded it in the 1920s to »automobile Bilderfahrzeuge«. Initially, the term described tapestries that were produced in Flanders and came to Florence. He saw the tapestries as a precursor to graphics because multiple copies could be made from one template. Later he expanded the term to all moveable mediums, like graphics, oil on wood, books, manuscripts (Heil et al., Terminology, 2020). The word creation is impressive not only because of its sound in German but also concerning photography and modern media. It would be interesting how Warburg would call the »Bilderfahrzeuge« in relation to the internet and social media. Are here the images are still the »Fahrzeuge« [vehicles], or the passengers in social media bus?

How does this connect to my work?

Mnemosyne is the goddess of memory. And my project is about memory, about history. About the traces of the past that trigger memory. Also, like Warburg, I am using images of different sources to construct my »composite landscapes«. In them, one picture is contextualised by another and vice versa. Perhaps I could sort them into the category of the »Bilderfahrzeuge«, because I am telling a story of a place through the combination of different images, like the tapestries from Flanders. Johannes von Müller, Coordinator of the Bilderfahrzeuge-project at the Warburg Institute, says about the anti-chaotic function of the artistic act: »With the creation of a picture, the human being already intervenes in his environment in an ordering manner. This can be found again and again in the Atlas.« (Johannes von Müller in HKW – Haus der Kulturen der Welt 2020, Episode 2, 11:54). This is an exciting idea, and perhaps I am subconsciously trying to order the things I see on my walks and read in the books through composing a new image.

Aby Warburg’s work is complex and exciting at the same time. I think I will try to read more about this man and »The Atlas« in the future.

References:

GREGORI, Daniela. 2020. ‘Thinking with Pictures – Aby Warburg’s Mnemosyne Atlas: Goethe-Institut’. [online]. Available at: https://www.goethe.de/en/kul/bku/20867100.html [accessed 23 Nov 2020]. 

HEIL, Axel, Margrit BREHM and Roberto OHRT. 2020. ‘Der Mnemosyne Bilderatlas | ZKM’. [online]. Available at: https://zkm.de/de/event/2016/09/aby-warburg-mnemosyne-bilderatlas/der-mnemosyne-bilderatlas [accessed 13 Nov 2020].

HKW – HAUS DER KULTUREN DER WELT. 2020. Befragung des Atlas – Episode 1 [Film]. Berlin. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZuYJhWDBoU [accessed 21 Nov 2020].

HKW – HAUS DER KULTUREN DER WELT. 2020. Befragung des Atlas – Episode 2 [Film]. Berlin. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ROmAhyUzgw&t=501s [accessed 21 Nov 2020].

HEIL, Axel, Margrit BREHM and Roberto OHRT. 2020. ‘Warburg’s Terminology | ZKM’. [online]. Available at: https://zkm.de/en/event/2016/09/aby-warburg-mnemosyne-bilderatlas/warburgs-terminology [accessed 23 Nov 2020].

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Unkwon maker. ca. 1900. Aby Warburg. Wikipedia [online image]. Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aby_Warburg [accessed 23 November 2020]

Figure 2: Tobias WOOTTON. 2016. View of the exhibition »Aby Warburg. Mnemosyne Bilderatlas« at ZKM | Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe [online image]. From: Axel Heil, Margrit Brehm and Roberto Ohrt. 2020. ‘Der Mnemosyne Bilderatlas | ZKM’. [online]. Available at: https://zkm.de/de/event/2016/09/aby-warburg-mnemosyne-bilderatlas/der-mnemosyne-bilderatlas [accessed 13 Nov 2020].

Figure 3: Unknown maker. No date. Reconstruction of panel 32 (Summer / Fall 1929) with the originals from the Photographic Collection of the Warburg Institute, London [online image]. From: Axel Heil, Margrit Brehm and Roberto Ohrt. 2020. ‘Aby Warburg – Biographie | ZKM’. [online]. Available at: https://zkm.de/de/aby-warburg-biographie [accessed 13 Nov 2020].Available at: https://zkm.de/en/aby-warburg-biography [accessed 23 Nov 2020].

»You have to be obsessed with it« – Brian Griffin’s guest lecture

My thoughts about Brian Griffin’s lecture at Falmouth University, 11 November 2020.

Fig. 1: Depeche Mode 1982. A broken frame [album cover] Cover photography by Brian Griffin

When I think of British photographer Brian Griffin, I always have to think of Depeche Mode’s »A broken frame« and its iconic cover image. The album was released in 1982, and I still own my copy. The cover is simply amazing; the dramatic sky, the cornfield and the famous Friedrich-like »Rueckenfigur« of the woman with the sense.

In the lecture, he says, that he is a great fan of painting (»I spy«) and that Caspar David Friedrich inspired him a lot. When listening to him for me seemed that he has a connection to German culture in general. At the beginning of the lecture, he tells us that he was influenced by cinema, especially German expressionistic from the 1920s and 1930s. Asked by a peer student, if he prefers Tangerine Dream or Kraftwerk, his answer is »Neu!«, the band founded by former Kraftwerk musicians Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger. The answer is not surprising, because many British musicians, like David Bowie or Joy Division/ New Order claim this band as a significant influence. But I digress, even if photographing bands and singers is a big part of Brian’s portfolio.

Fig. 2: Griffin 1970s. Photograph of a TV direction executive

What is the exciting part of lectures like this is the moment, when well-known photographers show not so much prominent (often commercial) work. Brian showed us a lot of images he did for business magazines at an early stage of his career. About them, he told us that »their offices felt for him like a theatre«. And they look like theatrical shots. Not the usual corporate stuff.

What seems essential for him, and I can agree with this is to have time to make a photo. To cite him: »We took time to construct an image« and »I can’t take a portrait in five minutes«. His advice to us is that we should take our time.

Fig. 3: The Psychedelic Furs. 1984. Mirror Moves [album cover]. Cover photography by Brian Griffin.

In the course of the lecture, many images of musicians followed. These are the ones Brain is famous for, and I know a lot of them: The Psychedelic Furs, Siouxsie, John Foxx, to name a few. He speaks about the tricks he used to get this or that picture, but also that »he didn’t care about the equipment, it is just the idea«. The right attitude in my eyes, because when technology comes to the fore, the images becomes lifeless.

When asked about the future of photography, he gives an interesting answer: »Women are the photographers of the future«. In his opinion, young female photographers produce the most exciting work today.

The lecture was accompanied by lots of anecdotes of the photograph’s protagonists. Brian is a brilliant storyteller, not only in his pictures but also in this lecture. I love to meet and listen to famous photographers. In the past, I had the chance to meet people like Rene Burri or Bruno Barbey (who past away on 9 November 2020). It is a shame that Brians’ lecture was virtual only, but this is better than nothing. Perhaps there is a chance to meet him in person in the future. 

I end with two pieces of advice about the work as a photographer he gave us:

First: You have to be obsessed with it.

Second: You got to be able to love it so much and don’t wanna do something else!

My recommendation if you are interested in this guy and his work: His book »Pop«. Actually sold out, but if you are lucky, you will find a used copy. Btw: The album covers are from my own collection, they’re from the eighties, orginal!

Fig. 4: Griffin and Rawlings 2017. Cover of »Pop«

References:

GRIFFIN, Brian. 2020. ‘Guest lecture with Brian Griffin’ [online lecture]. Available at: https://flex.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/249/conferences [accessed 10 November 2020]

‘Neu! – laut.de – Band’. 2020. laut.de [online]. Available at: http://www.laut.de/neu! [accessed 13 Nov 2020].

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Depeche Mode. 1982. A broken frame [album cover]. Cover photography by Brian Griffin. Mute Records

Figure 2: Brian GRIFFIN. 1970s. Photograph of a TV direction executive. Screenshot from ‘Guest lecture with Brian Griffin’ [online lecture]. Available at: https://flex.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/249/conferences [accessed 10 November 2020]

Figure 3: The Psychedelic Furs. 1984. Mirror Moves [album cover]. Cover photography by Brian Griffin. CBS Records

Figure 4: GRIFFIN, Brian and Terry RAWLINGS. 2017. Pop. London: GOST.

What happened until now (A reflection)

Fig. 1: Rauschkolb 2020. Streetlight and building on the former military ground, Lilienthalstrasse

The decision to continue to work in my neighbourhood was evident at the beginning of the module. What developed slowly were the details of the way of working.

Three weeks ago, I had the feeling that I am overwhelmed by all the material I had collected. Everything in this collection is excellent, exciting and has its own beauty. But the question was how to combine it in a meaningful way. On the other hand, because of Covid 19 and the partial lockdown, access to some sources, like archives, is restricted or not possible. Also, I am cautious and try to avoid meeting too many unknown people.

Fig. 2: Rauschkolb 2020. Officer’s Casino

Since the last week, I have the feeling of getting closer to the desired output. The first image of the old officer’s casino is ready, and I like it. Also, the feedback from my peers confirmed that I am on the right track.

Fig. 3: Rauschkolb 2020. First sketches for »Airfield 1« and »Airfield 2«

At the moment, I am working on two motifs from the »American time« of the airfield. Inspired by Donald Weber’s »War Sand«, I came up with the idea of using plastic soldiers and model kits in my work. The unbuild kits, which can also be interpreted as a kind of map, fit into my collages.

Fig. 4: Weber 2018. Spread from »War Sand«

Luckily, two new sources for archive material appeared. At first, a private collector and hobby historian who deals with the history of our area. The other is our local newspaper, the »Griesheimer Anzeiger«. They showed interest in the project, and I will meet them this week.

We will see what happens … 

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Marcel Rauschkolb. 2020. Streetlight and building on the former military ground, Lilienthalstrasse.

Figure 2: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Officer’s Casino.

Figure 3: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. First sketches for »Airfield 1« and »Airfield 2«.

Figure 4: Donald WEBER. 2018. Spread from »War Sand« from WEBER, Donald, Larry FROLICK and Teun van der HEIJDEN. 2018. War Sand. First edition. Edited by Paul Carlucci. Canada: Polygon.