Critical Review of Practice

I submitted my »Critical Review of Practice« on 29. July 2021. The slideshow below shows the document, the list of figures and the references are listed below.

There were two appendices in the original file that are not included in this post: Professor Steve Bisson’s review of »Greetings from the Parade Ground« and Gudrun Hausl’s article that was published in the »Darmstädter Echo«.

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List of Figures:

Figure 1: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Bunker camouflage.

Figure 2: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Former Officers Mess, Lilienthalstrasse.

Figure 3: Unknown maker. Stamped 1905. Kurgäste zur Entfettungskur a.d. Griesheimer Sand [postcard, own collection].

Figure 4: Unknown maker. 1929. Stube 144, Infanterie Regiment Nr. 151e, 3. Kompanie, 25. August 1929. [img621] Sammlung Peter Merschroth [online image]. Available at:
http://www.sammlung-merschroth.de/Griesheim_Sand/Franzosenzeit/franzosenzeit.html [accessed 4 Dec 2020]

Figure 5: Unknown maker. 1964. Nike display Griesheim. Archive of the »Förderverein August-Euler-Museum e.V.«

Figure 6: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Map of the site’s location. [Bing Maps screenshot, map of Germany from TIBELIUS, Alexander. 2014. The Map Design Toolbox. Berlin: Gestalten., drawing]

Figure 7: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. »The Parade Ground«. From the portfolio ‘Greetings from the Parade Ground (Grüsse Vom Übungsplatz)’ [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/greetingsfromtheparadeground [accessed 28 Jan 2021].

Figure 8: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. Religion as a vital part of the settlement. From the portfolio ‘The Paprika Village (Das Paprikadorf)’ [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/thepaprikavillage [accessed 11 Feb 2021].

Figure 9: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. »Missiles and Mythology«. From the portfolio ‘Greetings from the Parade Ground (Grüsse Vom Übungsplatz)’ [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/greetingsfromtheparadeground [accessed 28 Jan 2021].

Figure 10: Stadt Griesheim. 2016. ‘Konversionsfläche „Süd-Ost“: Griesheim’. [Post-use concept »Conversion Southeast«] [online]. Available at:
https://www.griesheim.de/wohnen-umwelt/konversionsflaeche-sued-ost/ [accessed 10 Feb 2021].

Figure 11: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Inside the »August-Euler-Museum«.

Figure 12: 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].

Figure 13: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. »Hitlerjugend«.

Figure 14: Unkown maker. 1946. My father in Mulsanne [photographic print, own collection].

Figure 15: Unknown maker. 1941. ‘My father’s statement’. Front und Heimat Mitteilungsblatt der NSDAP Ortsgruppe Griesheim Kreis Darmstadt, 11 Oct. The text reads:

»Sailor-Lance Corporal Rauschkolb, Willy, Alte Darmstädterstr. 24

… We have been sailing as a front unit for almost three weeks now and have already been allowed to carry out three decisive actions. For example, we were used as a fire protection for the brave assault boats during the storming of Oesel and Moon. … Most of the Soviet sailors resisted their rescue tooth and nail and were then quite astonished when we did not burn out their eyes and cut off their tongues …« [Own, Deepl.com translation]

Figure 16: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. The »Souvenir of Germany« photo album [own collection].

Figure 17: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. The change of a street (Nehringstrasse). From the portfolio ‘The Paprika Village (Das Paprikadorf)’ [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/thepaprikavillage [accessed 11 Feb 2021].

Figure 18: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. »Hessenflieger« und »Darmstadt Flying-Club«. From the portfolio ‘Greetings from the Parade Ground (Grüsse Vom Übungsplatz)’ [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/greetingsfromtheparadeground [accessed 28 Jan 2021].

Figure 19: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. The former Nike-missile launch site (1964) [montage].

Figure 20: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. The former Nike-missile launch site (today) [image grid].

Figure 21, 22: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Cardboard dummies for a photographic sculpture and a grid.

Figure 23: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Physical grid [oak wood, photo paper].

Figure 24, 25: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Pop-up object »Pre-WW1 soldiers«.

Figure 26: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Pop-up object »Stars and Stripes-Compound«.

Figure 27: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Newspaper cut-outs from the »Griesheimer Anzeiger« and the »Stars and Stripes«.

Figure 28: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Uncut View-Master slides.

Figure 29: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. View-Master camera.

Figure 30: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Argus C3 camera.

Figure 31: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Print from an Argus C3 negative.

Figure 32: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Distorted building on the former missile launch site.

Figure 33: Unknown maker. 2006. Wall painting in an abandoned military building. Archive of the »Förderverein August-Euler-Museum e.V.«

Figure 34: 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 35: 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 36: 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 37: Andrea BOTTO. 2015. ‘19.06_26-08.1945 Limited Edition Prints’. Andrea Botto Photography [online]. Available at: https://www.andreabotto.it/en/prodotto/19-06_26-08-1945-limited-edition-prints/ [accessed 11 Feb 2021].

Figure 38: Aikaterini GEGISIAN. 2020. ‘The Sea Blues (2016)’. Aikaterini Gegisian [online]. Available at: https://gegisian.com/portfolio/the-sea-blues/ [accessed 8 Nov 2020].

Figure 39: Gareth PHILLIPS. 2021. NH5 – First Edition – Wales, UK. [online]. Available at: http://www.garethphillipsphotography.com/NH5-First-Edition-Wales-UK [accessed 21 Jun 2021].

Figure 40: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Folder, box and book layouts.

Figure 41: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Map of the »Walk through history« [Bing Maps screenshot and drawing].

Figure 42, 43, 44: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Layouts for the outdoor exhibition.

Figure 45: HAUSL, Gudrun. 2021. ‘Es gilt die Details der Welt zu dokumentieren’. Darmstädter Echo : die unabhängige politische Tageszeitung Südhessens, 6 Jul, 18.

References:

Earlier portfolios about the site this mentioned in the text:

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].

Other references:

BENJAMIN, Walter. 2011. Gesammelte Werke. (Translated with http://www.DeepL.com) Frankfurt a. M: Zweitausendeins. 

GROMES, Gustl. 1989. St. Stephan von A bis Z. (my translation) Griesheim: V. Bassenauer Gmbh. 

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

KALTENECKER, Krisztina. 2003. ‘Über Die Entstehung Der Ungarndeutschen Siedlung Sankt Stephan Bei Darmstadt. Eine Kommentierte Quellenausgabe’. In: Dr. Schwing, Josef (Red.): Suevia Pannonica. Archiv der Deutschen aus Ungarn. Jahrgang 21 (31) 2003. Chroma Verlag. Römerberg-Berghausen. S. 37-47 [online]. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/38970162/%C3%9Cber_die_Entstehung_der_ungarndeutschen_Siedlung_Sankt_Stephan_bei_Darmstadt._Eine_kommentierte_Quellenausgabe [accessed 4 Jul 2020].

BISSON, Steve. 2021. ‘LANDSCAPE OF REMEMBRANCE. WHAT FOR?’ Urbanautica [online]. Available at: https://urbanautica.com/review/landscape-of-remembrance-what-forij/2348 [accessed 31 Mar 2021].

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

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

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].

CAMMANN, Alexander. 2007. ‘Familienchronik: Der Epochenpanoramiker’. Die Tageszeitung: taz, 19 May [online]. Available at: https://taz.de/!5199675/ [accessed 21 Jul 2021].

HIRSCH, Marianne. 2008. ‘The Generation of Postmemory’. Poetics Today 29(1), 103–28.

‘Woher Kommt Souvenir | Wortherkunft von Souvenir | Wissen.De’. 2021. [online]. Available at: https://www.wissen.de/wortherkunft/souvenir [accessed 20 Jul 2021].

‘Duden | Andenken | Rechtschreibung, Bedeutung, Definition, Herkunft’. 2021. Duden [online]. Available at: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Andenken [accessed 20 Jul 2021].

‘theatre’. 2021. [online]. Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/de/worterbuch/englisch/theatre [accessed 20 Jul 2021].

FAMULLA, Ute, Kai-Uwe HEMKEN, Christoph SCHADEN and Kris SCHOLZ. 2019. Bauhaus Und Die Fotografie: Zum Neuen Sehen in Der Gegenwartskunst = Bauhaus and Photography ; New Vision in Contemporary Art. Edited by Corina Gertz. Bielefeld: Kerber Verlag.

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

Joseph Beuys – ‘Dank an Wilhelm Lehmbruck’ (Letzte Rede) [Film]. 2013. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqgNz8biM8 [accessed 1 Sep 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].

SCAFI, Alessandro. 2020. ‘Mapping Worlds: Medieval to Modern’ [Short Course, own notes]. Available at: https://warburg.sas.ac.uk/events/event/23596.

MARGOLIS, Eric and L PAUWELS. 2011. The SAGE Handbook of Visual Research Methods. Los Angeles: SAGE.

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

ZHENGOVÁ, Linda. 2020. ‘AIKATERINI GEGISIAN: Handbook of the Spontaneous Other’. GUP Magazine [online]. Available at: https://gupmagazine.com/books/aikaterini-gegisian-handbook-of-the-spontaneous-other-2/ [accessed 23 Jul 2021].

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

PHILLIPS, Gareth. 2021. ‘Gareths Phillips Guest Lecture for Falmouth’. [online, own notes]. Available at: https://web.microsoftstream.com/embed/video/a2575d95-594c-4bf1-8547-d921007b3912?autoplay=false&showinfo=true&forceServerAuth=true [accessed 23 Jul 2021].

Final Major Project: Seventh 1:2:1

Fig. 1: Rauschkolb 2021. »Yanks Gain 27 Miles East of Rhine«, 24. March 1945

On Tuesday, 27. July, I had my last meeting with Laura. The primary subject was the »Critical Review of Practice«, which I submitted on the following Thursday and the final portfolios appearance. A helpful hint from Laura was to show some outdoor exhibition layouts in the CRoP and thinking of the use of audio and accompanying events. I mentioned that I have access to a professional speaker to produce short clips that can be accessed through a QR-code.

Fig. 2: Rauschkolb 2021. Outdoor layout

I will use newspaper cutouts in the portfolio and exhibition. In this context, Laura’s advice was that images and text have to be edited differently for different outcomes. Regarding the newspapers, I suggest using the text-only in the book and website, while they could be shown in a big size as reproductions in an exhibition.

Fig. 3: Rauschkolb 2020. Newspaper cut-outs

We talked about the use of text in the portfolio. Laura recommended a brief synopsis to introduce into the work, but then letting the images speak for themselves as much as possible. She also mentioned that I can link to well-made videos showing the book and the function of the pop-ups. In sum, the portfolio has to showcase the project, where the main thing is the work, supplemented by the outcomes.

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. »Yanks Gain 27 Miles East of Rhine«, 24. March 1945.

Figure 2: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Layout for the outdoor exhibition.

Figure 3: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Newspaper cut-outs from the »Griesheimer Anzeiger« and the »Stars and Stripes«.

Guest Group Critique with Colin Pantall

Fig. 1: Rauschkolb 2021. The entrance to the »Stars and Stripes«-Compound

As an addendum to my meeting with Laura, a Guest Group Critique with my former tutor Colin Pantall followed one day later (29 April 2021). The advantage of this meeting was that Colin knows the previous works well and can place the new ones. I presented a selection of images and objects that arose in the course of the module. Two montages, less complex than the ones from »Greetings from the Parade Ground«, made a start to build on the previous work. Next came the grids. Here the ones with film stills from old Nike movies were most preferred.

Fig. 2: Rauschkolb 2021. The former launch area

Also, the View-Master slides received a positive response. Colin’s statement that »the nice thing is looking through« hit the spot. This is absolutely true and perhaps one of the reasons I am still fascinated with this optical device. If it were possible to get some of these viewers for little money, they would be a fantastic supplement to an exhibition.

Fig. 3: Rauschkolb 2021. Detail from a roll of View-Master film

Even if Colin liked the idea behind the pictures taken with the Argus, he considered that they need more life because that was what people have photographed. With the old images from my family in mind, I have to agree with him. However, perhaps there has a different story to be developed for them. After the meeting, I sketched the first idea, and I liked it. But this seems like a side project or a follow-up to the FMP. I will write more about it later when the idea becomes more precise.

Fig. 4: Rauschkolb 2021. Images from the Argus C3.

Fig. 5: Rauschkolb 2021. Pop-up object »Pre-WW1 soldiers«, opened

The pop-ups formed the presentation’s end. Using the three-dimensional to show past and present received consent. Colin formulated several ideas for them:

• Can they be combined with the screengrabs? The answer is yes, especially when the subject is the missile launch site.
• »Leading with the tactile«: Can the tactile lead through the different elements? I would say yes because when I presented the pop-ups to different people, I recognized that these tactile, three-dimensional objects arouse more interest than the »flat« images. As Colin said, »You are giving people a reason to look«.
• He formulated »a curation of looking that ties into the history of the place« and considered the use of projectors in an exhibition.

In the end, Colin formulated the question that I am asking myself, too: »How does it all fit together«? Everything points to a massive kind of exhibition, very tactile and perhaps community-driven.

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. The entrance to the »Stars and Stripes«-Compound.

Figure 2: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. The former launch area.

Figure 3: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Detail from a roll of View-Master film.

Figure 4: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Images from the Argus C3.

Figure 5: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Pop-up object »Pre-WW1 soldiers«, opened.

Reference:

RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 28 April 2021. Notes from Guest Group Critique meeting with Colin Pantall.

A way to make it three-dimensional: Pop-up books

Fig. 1: Klemm 1970. Joseph Beuys at the »Block Beuys« in Darmstadts’ »Hessisches Landesmuseum«.

Making my photographs three-dimensional is something I am thinking about for a longer time. In a CRJ-post from September 2020 (Rauschkolb 2020), I quoted Joseph Beuys’ statement, »Also Skulptur, mit der Skulptur ist etwas zu machen!« and »Alles ist Skulptur« (»Well, sculpture, there is something to be done with sculpture!« and »Everything is sculpture«, Joseph Beuys – ‘Dank an Wilhelm Lehmbruck’ (Letzte Rede) 2013). I thought about photographic objects and visualised them in a 3D-software. With the Final Major Project, it is time to make them real and get them out of the virtual space.

A few weeks ago, I was always thinking about photographic objects in an exhibition, mixing them with photographs and composings hanging on a wall. It is a possible way, but it has a disadvantage: People can see it, perhaps touch or move it. But when they left the exhibition with a book about the project, there is only a static photograph of the object they can take with them. With this, making a pop-up book as a part of the project’s outcome came to my mind. I own a small collection of them and love to browse through them and see what happens when I open a page. Together with the designers’ craftsmanship, this mix of playfulness and knowledge transfer make these objects so exciting. I decided to research and learn about making them by myself.

Fig. 2: Rauschkolb 2021. Pop-up books from my collection

My thought behind this matches my intention for the FMP: Making people interested in the land’s history, its heritage. A pop-up book could solve several problems. At first, this kind of book allows for easy access to complex subjects with its tangibility and playfulness. Second, it will enable an exhibition visitor to take three-dimensional objects with home. Not only one, but all the ones exhibited. It makes the exhibition »movable«, like Marcel Duchamp’s »Boîte-en-valise« (‘5 Minutes with… Marcel Duchamp’s Boîte-En-Valise | Christie’s’ 2020). Third, it will make sculptural art more affordable. Simply because the book, or portfolio, will be much cheaper than an object in a limited edition.

Fig. 3: Sima 1957. Marcel Duchamp with a Boîte-en-valise.

I started to learn about the mechanics of the pop-up book with a course at Domestika.org. Here, a Madrid based designer guides you through the basic techniques (‘”Pop-Up Book Creation” – Craft Online Course by Silvia Hijano Coullaut’ 2021). It is a short course, not expensive and well made. If anyone is interested in this subject, I would recommend this as a good starting point.

I added Keith Finch’s book »Paper Engineering for Designers« to my library to expand my knowledge. By the way, an excellent book with a lot of practical exercises (Finch 2013).

Fig. 4: Rauschkolb 2021. Pages 5 and 6 from Keith Finch’s ‘Paper Engineering for Designers: Pop-up Skills and Techniques’

An important fact I learned about this kind of book: It contains only five to seven pages. I see this limitation not as a problem because I always think of a »classic« book and a pop-up book together as the final output. The New-York based magazine »Visionaire« serves as an inspiration for how to get around this limitation. For the edition »55 Surprise«, they worked together with paper engineer Bruce Foster to bring artworks from artists like Andreas Gursky, Sophie Calle or Mario Testino into the third dimension (‘VISIONAIRE 55 SURPRISE’ 2021). Instead of making one book, they decided to make ten objects, something between a two-page book and a big card and put them in a case — a fantastic inspiration in my eyes.

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  Fig. 5: Visionaire 2008. Closed cover

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  Fig. 6: Visionaire 2008. Opened cover

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  Fig. 7: Visionaire 2008. Solve Sundsbo

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  Fig. 8: Visionaire 2008. Steven Klein

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  Fig. 9: Visionaire 2008. Yayoi Kusama

Fig. 5 – 9: Visionaire 2008. ‘VISIONAIRE 55 SURPRISE’

Fig. 10: Visionaireworld. 2013. Visionaire 55 SURPRISE

The research about pop-up books started when my supervisor Laura Hynd asked me in the last 1:2:1 if I had done more profound research about this subject. I must confess, I hadn’t until this time. I did, and my conviction that these books are more than children’s books has been confirmed. An article from TrendHunter gives an excellent overview (Pijak 2015) of the medium’s possibilities.

Fig. 11: Pijak 2015. Screenshot from ’40 Artistic Pop-Up Book Examples’

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Barbara KLEMM. 1970. At work: 50 years ago, Joseph Beuys installed his “Block Beuys” in Darmstadt. He changed the installation several times. Now the Hessisches Landesmuseum is taking a close look at the action objects. Offenbach Post [online]. Available at: https://www.op-online.de/hessen/energien-zusammenfliessen-13539667.html [accessed 8 Apr 2021].

Figure 2: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Pop-up books from my collection.  Books displayed: (FRAYLING, Christopher, Helen FRAYLING and Ron VANDERMEER. 1993. Das Kunst-Paket: ein Streifzug durch die bildende Kunst mit einleuchtenden Beispielen, dreidimensionalen Bildern und vielerlei erstaunlichen Effekten. München: arsEd.

ANDERSON, Kelli. 2015. This Book Is a Planetarium: And Other Extraordinary Pop-up Contraptions. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books LLC.

ALDRIN, Buzz, Marianne J DYSON, Bruce FOSTER, and NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY. 2019. Meine Reise zum Mond und zurück mein Apollo-11-Abenteuer: ein Pop-up-Buch. Milano: WS White Star s.r.l.

RADEVSKY, Anton. 2000. Raumfahrt: ein Pop-up-Buch. Köln: Könemann.

Figure 3: Michel SIMA/ Bridgeman Images. 1957. Marcel Duchamp with a Boîte-en-valise. Christies (Artwork: © Association Marcel Duchamp / ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London). [online]. Available at: https://www.christies.com/features/5-Minutes-with-Marcel-Duchamps-La-Boite-en-Valise-9416-3.aspx [accessed 5 Jul 2020].

Figure 4: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Pages 5 and 6 from Keith Finch’s ‘Paper Engineering for Designers: Pop-up Skills and Techniques’

Figures 5 – 9: VISIONAIRE. 2008. ‘VISIONAIRE 55 SURPRISE’. VISIONAIREWORLD [online]. Available at: https://visionaireworld.com/products/visionaire-55-surprise [accessed 3 Apr 2021].

Figure 10: VISIONAIREWORLD. 2013. Visionaire 55 SURPRISE [Film]. Available at: https://vimeo.com/78017876 [accessed 8 Apr 2021].

Figure 11: Jana PIJAK. 2015. Screenshot from ’40 Artistic Pop-Up Book Examples’. From: TrendHunter.com [online]. Available at: https://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/artistic-pop-up-books [accessed 3 Apr 2021].

References:

RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. ‘»Alles Ist Skulptur« – From 3D to 2D and Back’. Marcels CRJ [online]. Available at: https://marcelrauschkolb.wordpress.com/2020/09/02/alles-ist-skulptur-from-3d-to-2d-and-back/ [accessed 8 Apr 2021].

Joseph Beuys – ‘Dank an Wilhelm Lehmbruck’ (Letzte Rede) [Film]. 2013. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqgNz8biM8 [accessed 1 Sep 2020].

‘5 Minutes with… Marcel Duchamp’s Boîte-En-Valise | Christie’s’. 2020. [online]. Available at: https://www.christies.com/features/5-Minutes-with-Marcel-Duchamps-La-Boite-en-Valise-9416-3.aspx [accessed 5 Jul 2020].

‘”Pop-Up Book Creation” – Craft Online Course by Silvia Hijano Coullaut’. 2021. Domestika [online]. Available at: https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/958-pop-up-book-creation [accessed 4 Apr 2021].

FINCH, Keith. 2013. Paper Engineering for Designers: Pop-up Skills and Techniques. London: Thames & Hudson.

‘VISIONAIRE 55 SURPRISE’. 2021. VISIONAIREWORLD [online]. Available at: https://visionaireworld.com/products/visionaire-55-surprise [accessed 3 Apr 2021].

PIJAK, Jana. 2015. ’40 Artistic Pop-Up Book Examples’. TrendHunter.com [online]. Available at: https://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/artistic-pop-up-books [accessed 3 Apr 2021].

I discovered a »Wunderkammer«

Fig. 1: Rauschkolb 2021. Inside the »August-Euler-Museum«

Since I am working on Griesheims’ quarter »Sankt Stephan«, I mentioned »a small private museum« on the former airfield a few times in my presentations. At this time, it is the only institution that preserves the memory of the site. August Euler, aviation pioneer and founder of the airport, gave the museum its name, which a supporter’s association maintains.

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  Fig. 2: Rauschkolb 2020. The airport apron-bus and the front segment of a Douglas DC-8 at the airfield entrance

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  Fig. 3: Rauschkolb 2021. One of the museums’ Nissen huts

Outside, a visitor can see two exhibits: The Volkswagen bus with its yellow-black pattern and the front segment of a Douglas DC-6 aeroplane. New to me were the two inconspicuous Nissen huts beside the tower building. One contains the exhibition; the other one is a storage room. I had the chance to visit them two times in the last weeks. For me, it was like discovering a kind of »Wunderkammer«, and the items shown served as an inspiration for the development of my project.

I will make a slight digression: I use the German word here because it has a beautiful sound and suggests secrets that have to be uncovered. I found an English translation: »Chamber of art and wonders«. In it, »artefacts and natural objects were presented as an image of the macrocosm, as a new earthly order in miniature« (Beßler 2015). It is a fashion that was present from the 15th to the 18th century, especially in southern Germany.

But back to the museum. The collection consists of original artefacts of the places’ military and aviation history and a range of aeroplane models. To give a better impression of the place, I produced a virtual tour of it. To open it, click the image below or use this link: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/augusteulermuseum

Fig. 4: Rauschkolb 2021. Virtual tour of the museum

I had the idea for longer to add still lifes into the project. What I have in mind is to give a contrast to the more complex montages. Also, some objects, like the old aeroplanes’ dashboards, are complex enough in themselves and offer enough details for discovery to stand alone. At the same time, perhaps paired with an old image, they tell a part of the story. At the moment, I have only four items photographed. I experimented with the original but darkened background and with a very light grey. My favourite is the light one; even it is more work because I have to exempt the objects. But in the end, its neutral background and its neutrality are more what I am looking for.

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  Fig. 5: Rauschkolb 2021. Cockpit of a Messerschmidt Bf 109 G-6

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  Fig. 6: Rauschkolb 2021. Cockpit (aeroplane unkown)

By the way, I am now a member of the supporters association. What they do is essential, and I hope to help with my expertise to move the museum forward. Actually, because of a lack of space, some bigger items are located at Egelsbach airport. With this, I end my first report from the »August-Euler-Museum«.

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Inside the »August-Euler-Museum«
Figure 2: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. The airport apron-bus and the front segment of a Douglas DC-8 at the airfield entrance
Figure 3: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. One of the museums’ Nissen huts
Figure 4: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Virtual tour of the museum [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/augusteulermuseum
Figure 5: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Cockpit of a Messerschmidt Bf 109 G-6
Figure 6: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. Cockpit (aeroplane unknown)

References:

BESSLER, Gabriele. 2015. ‘Chambers of Art and Wonders’. EGO (http://www.ieg-ego.eu) [online]. Available at: http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/crossroads/knowledge-spaces/gabriele-bessler-chambers-of-art-and-wonders?set_language=en&-C= [accessed 12 Mar 2021].
‘August Euler Flugplatz’. 2020. [online]. Available at: https://www.august-euler-museum.de/#
[accessed 6 Aug 2020].

The Final Project Proposal

Fig. 1: Rauschkolb 2021. The former »Stars and Stripes«-print shop

After the Pecha Kucha-presentation, the first assessed work followed: The Final Project Proposal. The document describes my ideas, plans and influences for the Final Major Project. Because it evolved from the work for my last two modules, it contains some reminiscences to the portfolios »The Paprika Village« and »Greetings from the Parade Ground«.

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Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2021. The former »Stars and Stripes«-print shop.

Final Major Project – First 1:2:1

I am little late with my first »Supervision Log«, and the feedback received for my Pecha Kucha presentation. The reason is that my last week’s work focused on finishing the »Final Project Proposal«, which I handed in yesterday.

Fig. 1: Rauschkolb 2020. »Offizier Frühstücks-Casino« (Officers breakfast mess)

By the way, what are these logs? These are the meeting notes of each 1:2:1-season with my supervisor, Laura Hynd.

Back to essentials: The feedback on my presentation was positive; important advice was to make the whole series cohesive.

Here are the notes.
Date of Supervision Meeting: 02 February 2021
Start time of Meeting: 09.30 am (GMT)
Length of Meeting in minutes: 30
Meeting Notes & Action Points:

• I presented my Pecha Kucha-presentation to Laura
• Comments from Laura about the portfolio »Greetings from the Parade Ground« shown in the PK:
  • The blurriness of the centre image in »Officer’s breakfast mess« (Figure 1) contrasts with the severity of the military
  • With the use of plastic model kits and toy soldiers, there is a playfulness in the work
• Thoughts for the FMP portfolio from Laura:
  • Make the work cohesive
  • Think about integrating personal stories like daybooks et al.
  • As an alternative: Creating my own persona who tells the story
• Look at these artists:
  • John MacLean
  • Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin
• I mentioned these possible risks for the FMP:
  • A potential obstacle for the future work could be, that I will not get access to some areas because of security restrictions or legal regulations.
  • Negotiations with several authorities are currently underway.
  • I have to think about workarounds for this, like using archival material instead of new photographed or finding another viewpoint

Date of Next Proposed Meeting: 23 February 2021

Fig. 2: Maclean 2020. :ruler_triangular_ruler:.

Fig. 3: Broomberg & Chanarin 2018. Bandage the knife not the wound.

A day later, I had the chance to present again in an »Evening Guest Group Critique« led by module leader Wendy McMurdo. The feedback here was positive, too. As additional inspiration, she mentioned Anton Roland Laub’s »Mobile Churches«. It’s his play with space and scale in his investigation of Bukarest’s churches that fits to my work.

Advice to the group was to use open calls, festivals, and portfolio reviews to spread our work and get feedback on it.

Fig. 4: Laub 2017. Mobile Churches.

List of Figures:

Figure 1: Marcel RAUSCHKOLB. 2020. »Offizier Frühstücks-Casino« (Officers breakfast mess). From the portfolio ‘Greetings from the Parade Ground (Grüsse Vom Übungsplatz)’ [online]. Available at: https://www.marcelrauschkolb.de/greetingsfromtheparadeground [accessed 28 Jan 2021].

Figure 2: John MACLEAN. 2020. :ruler_triangular_ruler: ‘Fine Art Photography’. John MacLean [online].
Available at: https://www.jmaclean.co.uk/photography/fine-art/ [accessed 15 Feb 2021].

Figure 3: Adam BROOMBERG and Oliver CHANARIN. 2018. Bandage the knife not the wound. [UV print on cardboard] Broomberg & Chanarin [online].
Available at: http://www.broombergchanarin.com/hometest#/bandage-the-knife-not-the-wound-1/ [accessed 9 Feb 2021].

Figure 4: Anton Roland LAUB. 2017. Mobile Churches. ‘Anton Roland Laub’. [online].
Available at: https://www.antonlaub.de/?og=1 [accessed 15 Feb 2021].

Resources:

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].

MACLEAN, John. 2021. ‘Fine Art Photography’. John MacLean [online].
Available at: https://www.jmaclean.co.uk/photography/fine-art/ [accessed 15 Feb 2021].

BROOMBERG, Adam and Oliver CHANARIN. 2021. ‘Broomberg & Chanarin — BANDAGE THE KNIFE NOT THE WOUND’. Broomberg & Chanarin [online].
Available at: http://www.broombergchanarin.com/hometest#/bandage-the-knife-not-the-wound-1/ [accessed 9 Feb 2021].

LAUB, Anton Roland. 2021. ‘Anton Roland Laub’. [online].
Available at: https://www.antonlaub.de/?og=1 [accessed 15 Feb 2021].

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].

»Alles ist Skulptur« – From 3D to 2D and back

Fig.1: Rauschkolb 2020. The image »The Stars and Stripes Compound«, the virtual prototype of a photographic sculpture.

My last project about a sculptor and his studio made me interested in the relationship between photography and sculpture. I must say, at this time, I hadn’t made a sculpture by myself in mind.

With the work on my actual portfolio, a lot has changed: I discovered what fun it is to work with archival material as a part of the final image; I made the first steps into the use of Augmented Reality (see Oral Presentation and the WIP-portfolio). And; while working on the pictures, I started thinking about how my compositions would look if realised as three-dimensional objects.

In his last speech, german artist Josef Beuys said: »Also Skulptur, mit der Skulptur ist etwas zu machen!« and »Alles ist Skulptur« (»Well, sculpture, there is something to be done with sculpture!« and »Everything is sculpture«, Joseph Beuys – ‘Dank an Wilhelm Lehmbruck’ (Letzte Rede) 2013). These two quotes came to my mind, and I felt that he was right. Even a (printed) photograph has materiality and has to be seen as a three-dimensional object — incidentally an essential point in archival work. As an example, the backside of an old image can tell you when the picture was produced (handwritten titling, photographer stamp, watermarks of the paper manufacturer).

Fig.2: Rauschkolb 2020. The image »Religiosity in the city district«, the virtual prototype of a photographic sculpture.

But back to the story: After doing some sketches, I was looking for a method to visualise my ideas, try different materials and object sizes. I started working with Adobe Dimension (‘Adobe Dimension’ 2020). A simple 3D-tool, but the right one in my case. With the sketches and a clear plan in mind, I was able to construct the objects in a short time.

I must confess, that, as a photographer, I always had and have an ambivalent relationship to 3D software. I tried several times but never got happy with the results. Now the situation changed.

In a second step, as a proof of concept, I used the possibilities of augmented reality. Adobe Aero (‘Interaktive AR-Experiences erstellen | Adobe Aero’ 2020), which works well together with Dimensions, gave me the chance to try different sizes, walk around the object, and putting it into different environments.

The consideration of working on three-dimensional objects does not mean that the whole project will be realised as a sculpture. It is merely a different way of presenting the story and complements other media like pictures, books or film.

The next steps, besides photographing, are: Looking for ways to produce a physical object and how I can use augmented reality in my project to tell the story of the district in a new way, perhaps with more user engagement.

References:

Joseph Beuys – ‘Dank an Wilhelm Lehmbruck’ (Letzte Rede) [Film]. 2013. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqgNz8biM8 [quotes translated with deepl.com] [accessed 1 Sep 2020].

‘Adobe Dimension’. 2020. [online]. Available at: https://www.adobe.com/de/products/dimension.html [accessed 2 Sep 2020].

‘Interaktive AR-Experiences erstellen | Adobe Aero’. 2020. [online]. Available at: https://www.adobe.com/de/products/aero.html [accessed 2 Sep 2020].

List of Figures:

Figure 1: RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. »The Paprika Village« – Photographic sculpture 2 (The Stars and Stripes Compound) [Film]. Available at: https://vimeo.com/453745444 [accessed 2 Sep 2020].

Figure 2: RAUSCHKOLB, Marcel. 2020. »The Paprika Village« – Photographic sculpture 1 (Religiosity in the city district) [Film]. Available at: https://vimeo.com/453743649 [accessed 2 Sep 2020].