Florian Maier-Aichen

Florian Maier-Aichen was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1973. He earned his MFA from the University of California, Los Angeles. His work could be described as "alternately romantic, cerebral, and unearthly" (pbs.org/art21). Aichen digitally alters his photographs to the point where they are more like drawings than documentation. However, he embraces many different techniques to photograph. He chooses to use equipment with light leaks that double expose occasionally. He is interested in the areas where landscape and cityscape meet, so he "chooses locations and subjects from the American West and Europe—from his own neighborhoods to vistas of the natural world" to photograph (pbs.org/art21).

I have chosen this artist because his work is somewhat similar to mine, although our ideas may be a little different. I too am interested in nature and my relationship to it. Along with my interest in nature, I am interested in figuring out my relationship with the city I live in too. Is it possible to feel as lost in a city as I feel in nature? Or vice versa? I like the fact that he experiments with his photography. He doesn't try to use super nice equipment, he would rather take a chance and use cameras that may leak light or double expose a few shots. I'm approaching my project with this same intention. I use a Diana camera that isn't entirely reliable. It tends to leak light and "mess up" my images in various ways. But this is the kind of thing I'm looking for. I like my images to look raw and organic. I think that helps out a lot when it comes to my ideas and what I'm trying to go for.

Interview: http://blog.art21.org/2010/07/09/florian-maier-aichen-rejecting-tradition/

http://www.303gallery.com/artists/florian_maier-aichen/

www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/florian_maier_aichen.htm
www.pbs.org/art21