Ein Leben hinter dem Spiegel #2, Mario Wagner

About Joachim Baldauf

Joachim Baldauf’s work has an immediate effect on the viewer. His charismatic black & white shots stand out for their rawness and subtle irony – unmistakable hallmarks of the Berlin-based photographer. Here, the models are more than a… Read more

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Joachim Baldauf’s work has an immediate effect on the viewer. His charismatic black & white shots stand out for their rawness and subtle irony – unmistakable hallmarks of the Berlin-based photographer. Here, the models are more than a mere means of presenting fashion – humans are presented as individuals in all their multi-faceted glory. With its artistic nature, fashion photography intentionally crosses the boundary between commercial and fine art. It is a concept that is revolutionising the German fashion industry from the bottom up, and it’s no coincidence Baldauf is considered Germany’s leading contemporary portrait and fashion photographer.

The artist’s 2015 collaboration with a select group of internationally renowned illustrators is both innovative and unconventional. A series of diptychs put graphic reinterpretations of Baldauf’s remarkable photography side by side with his photos. The results could not be more stunning, allowing us to look at his work in a completely new light, whether it is the muscular Darth Vader as depicted by Mathis Rekowski in his controlled chaos style, or the slender figure of Sybille Gebhardt on Hamburg’s harbour put into an innovative new context by Jindrich Novotny. The juxtaposition of photography and re-interpretation makes these diptychs a unique artistic experience.

Baldauf himself sees a special significance in this project. To him, this productive exchange between individual artistic spheres embodies the spirit of contemporary art, pushing the scene forward. This is one of the reasons why he established the magazine Vorn (German for “Forward”) over 10 years ago. Characteristic of his work is his distinctive flair for fashion and materiality, no doubt formed during his many years of experience as an Art Director. Joachim Baldauf’s work has been shown in The Deichtorhallen in Hamburg, and in Berlin’s CAMERA WORK gallery.

VITA

1965	Born in Weiler, Germany
1984-1987	Studied Textile Design at Reutlingen University, Reutlingen, Germany
1987-1989	Worked as a Textile Designer
1989-1998	Art Director for various magazines and brands
1992	Formed the Boom Communication Agency, Munich, Germany
1998-Present	Freelance Photographer

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

2015	Joachim Baldauf. Echtzeit. Eine Ausstellung, Galerie Hegemann, Munich, Germany
2010	Meissen Macht Ikonen, Albrechtsburg, Meissen, Germany
2009	The Wallpaper* Years, Galerie im Regierungsviertel – Forgotten Bar Project, Berlin, Germany
2003	Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie, Galerie Viaux, Hamburg, Germany
2002	Jeden Tag ein Wenig, Akademie Mode & Design, Munich, Germany
	Der subjektive Mann, Galerie Rößler, Munich, Germany

Group Exhibitions

2010	Lingering Whispers, The Crypt Gallery, St Pancras Church, London, UK
2008	Be an Angel, Camerawork, Berlin, Germany
	Fashion – Nine Decades of Fashion Photography, Camerawork, Berlin, Germany
	Mode ist tot – von Virusverbreitern und Gratwanderern, Festival for Fashion and Photography, Vienna, Austria
2007	Private Collection, Seven Star Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2003	Visual Leader 2003, Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany