Working slowly and with methodical precision, Frank Kunert (born 1963) creates miniature stage settings which he then photographs with a large-format analog camera, producing magical images of “small worlds” that have been published in previous acclaimed volumes from Hatje Cantz such as Topsy-Turvy World (2008) and Wonderland (2013).
Kunert’s works exist between the poles of slapstick and metaphysics. His new book Lifestyle presents 23 miniatures of these philosophically based stories of everyday life. Here, the ordinary quickly becomes absurd, tragedy veers into comedy and wit becomes ambiguous. The series is nominated for the International Felix Schoeller Photo Award 2017.
Published by Hatje Cantz. Edited by Thilo von Debschitz.
German photographer Frank Kunert (born 1963) constructs dioramas with futurist-like architecture. “Dinner for Two,” for example, has a table built around a corner, so neither party sees the other but each has a television set. Wonderland gathers these surreal and melancholic images.
Published by Hatje Cantz. Edited by Thilo von Debschitz.
Enigmatic German photographer Frank Kunert, born in 1963 in Frankfurt, excels at turning familiar narrative contexts upside down and forcing us to question reality itself. A multistoried apartment building, drab and grayish, has the requisite carpeted balconies, railings and lone flower box--even a deck chair. It's a familiar view. But on second glance, we sense something is gravely amiss: the balcony doors lead nowhere; in fact, the balconies themselves cannot be accessed. Kunert has not uncovered an architectural conspiracy; the building is his own creation. In the tradition of Thomas Demand, Kunert spends weeks constructing highly detailed, convincingly realistic models, then photographs them to exacting technical standards, creating vibrant images rife with subtle visual puns. This concise and engaging volume provides ample opportunity to study the witty intelligence behind Kunert's recent work.
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Frank Kunert: Wonderland
Frank Kunert: Topsy-Turvy World
