Hamish Morrison Galerie Heidestr. 46-52 10557 Berlin Allemagne
In the end of June the Hamish Morrison Gallery presents photography from the series FORMATION by Erik Niedling (*1973 in Erfurt), who lives and works in Berlin. For the first time these mainly large-sized works are shown in Berlin in this extent. In October Hatje Cantz will publish the catalogue accompanying the series.
In his work Erik Niedling uses historical sources and gives them a new appearance by reproducing, selecting and arranging them new.
The idea for the series FORMATION occurred when Erik Niedling found the illustrated book Die Welt der Pflanze (The world of plants) in the Angermuseum in Erfurt. It contains a large number of images from the well known photographer and plant expert Walther Haage. During the following research Erik Niedling made an interesting discovery finding a tremendous archive of glass negatives, originating from the time between the two world wars. The negatives show a large number of plants, furthermore illustrations of the tools that were used for the treatment of plants and images of the environment of Haages gardening factory. The simple figurative presentation of the objects is complemented by a narrative aspect, which brings up memories who remind of dreadful familiar topics: the human intervening in the nature, the regulation of the environment, subsequentially leading to the subject matter of selection.
To convert the negatives, Niedling placed the glass plates on a light box and then took pictures to reproduce the material. Following he developed the C-Prints as a positive image, that at the same time contains features of a negative. Niedling creates an alienation of the primary work that is characterized by its distinctive documentary style. Simultaneously he deconstructs the photographs and transfers documentation into art.
In his series FORMATION, Erik Niedling accomplishes a metamorphosis of this prosaic photography. In an act of transformation he demonstrates historico-cultural procedures and adds a further dimension to the aesthetic program. Niedling's new arrangement avoids a distinct aesthetic appearance; the pictures remain in a twilight zone: In the mystic dark light of photography, which illuminates our cultural history reemerged.