Currently on view at K80 Galerie in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin is an exhibit featuring two artists one being photographer Anja Teske. On a warm afternoon, Anja met me at the gallery to discuss the work on display. In a small space towards the back, several of her photographs were hanging from two different bodies of work. She tends to operate from one series to another and sometimes has several on-going projects happening at once. Juwelia in Flowers was prominently displayed and caught my eye, focusing on the interesting visual presentation of her friend Stefan.
Unpredictability is an important thread that runs and stretches from one photograph to another. The portraits of this particular series which commenced in 2004 and is on-going, capture Stefan who spends his days in drag, dressed either in traditional attire based on his natural gender, or that of a woman. As someone who wants to capture moments in portraiture that are unplanned, Anja couldn't have asked for or sought out a better model. The artist and muse have known each other for many years however when they meet, the photographer can never predict the outcome of either the interaction or the role that will be played in a specific moment. I couldn't help but admire the visual documentation of personality that is evident in moments that flash and while may last seconds, in print communicate decades of time and a transitional lifestyle in progress.
Studying painting at an early age, Anja Teske then switched to photography as a way of documenting interest in not only the interpretation of formal portraiture, but also the process and dynamics of the mechanics of making a picture. She continues to make portraits that feel painterly and take an environmental cue from artists such as Matisse.
BEACH and BEYOND, featuring the work of Matthias Wegehaupt and Anja Teske is on view until September 13th, 2011.
Anja Teske has another exhibit coming up so stay tuned!
Katy Diamond Hamer is an art blogger and artist based in Brooklyn, NY. She was recently in Berlin documenting the international contemporary art scene, writing for several online publications. To read more of her writing visit http://eyes-towards-the-dove.blogspot.com
