Born: 1897 Wurzburg (Germany) Died: 1966
Work:
Was involved in the Neue Sachlichkeit movement (New Objectivity) which developed in the 1920s and 30s and sort to promote the inherent ability of photography to present detail. New Objectivity worked directly against the experimentation and expressive creations developed during the first world war (e.g. the Dada and Surrealist movements). The term Neue Sachlichkeit was first used by G.F. Hartlub when describing the work in an exhibition of objective painting in 1923 in Mannheim. New objectivity was a scientific movement, it was calmer and more calculated than the rasher Expressionist and Dadaist movements. The movement was created by a younger generation who wanted to return to looking at society and the world around them. New Objectivity was seen as providing a new way forward and embraced new technological and scientific processes. They sought to represent in a more scientific and objective way without sentimentality or subjective reasoning. In photography this 'new objectivity' was led by Renger-Patzsch, Hans Finsler, August Sander, Hugo Erfurth and Karl Blossfeldt. Patzsch had worked as a commercial photographer and as New Objectivity developed he quickly saw the potential to produce photographic images which equated with the new art movement. He produced images of lonely streets harsh images of buildings and his work lacked sentimentality. His images were sharp, detailed and removed from Expressionism. His works appear cool, calculated and exceptionally scientific. His work was varied presenting machines machine parts, industrial buildings, close ups of natural forms and urban street scenes. In 1928 he published Die Welt ist schon (The World is Beautiful)
Albert Renger-Patzsch
Pinion and gear wheels, Lindener Iron and Steel Works
1928
Albert Renger-Patzsch
Zinc bathtub warehouse Krauss works
1926
Themes within his work to explore:
Artificial
(man made materials especially metallic industrial machine parts: in which
he explored form, pattern, texture).
Artificial (Industrial buildings and the industrial landscape)
City (photographing
new modern technologies and the landscaping and redevelopment of the city)
Natural forms
(plant forms, examining scientifically, sharp images with particular interest
in pattern and form.)
Habitat (looking at his local area and exploring 'German' life and urban
life)
Paul Strand (photography as the objective record)
Hans Finsler (new industry, architecture, materials etc.)
August Sander (photography as an objective recorder of people/professions)
Karl Blossfeldt (photography as a scientific record, of nature)
Artists:
Rudolf Dischinger (household electrical equipment)
Carl Grossberg (machinery)