Herbert Holzmann artscenetoday featured artist

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h e r b e r t h o l z m a n n

2nd PLACE WINNER: Erogenous Zones Competition

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herbert holzmann

augsburg, bavaria/g

Bronze Girl # 4469 [from the series "Ecdysis"]

photography mounted on aluminum dibond

10.3" x 14.1" prints

$450

http://okulaar.net

info@okulaar.net

artist statement

I take portraits of people. My nude images I also call portraits because I try to create individual pictures considering the peoples' bio, individual strength and charisma.

The Bronze Girl is from a series called "Ecdysis." In biology, ecdysis is the process where an animal (reptile etc.) sheds its old skin. In the "Ecdysis" sessions people in front of my camera go through a similar process covering their bodies with color in wild, furious movements. They become beings between human and animal, stimulated by raw, archaic energy.

What we see is color on naked skin, body tension, movement. In the session the protagonists make themselves part of an abstract painting. But there's also an invisible part: those people experience the process in a temporary way but then find that it remains firmly in the memory even when all the traces are cleaned up and the clothes are put back on. They describe it as an extension of self-perception or as a moment of unfiltered contact with life itself.

At the beginning of the session the people take a long step backward. They put down their clothes - their protective skin - and deliver themselves up to the camera in a state of great vulnerability. If the shooting is good, they get into a state where "the animal" takes over. They often are surprised by the intensity of the sensations and their own power.

Loud music is very important to boost energies. Color can by anything like gouache or tempera paint, flour, ketchup, fruit or vegetable juice etc.

bio

Born 1963; living in Augsburg, Germany

graphic designer, photo & video artist

ArtSceneToday Q&A

Q: Where do you see yourself in the art scene today?

A: Everyone is welcome to visit my website and decide themselves.

Q: What is your inspiration?

A: I'm thrilled exploring the visible world and the people around me. Using that little image-taking machine I can magically touch people's hearts.

Q: What are your challenges?

A: Convincing the person in front of my camera to forget clichés about how the images should look. I invite them to to let go, to relax, to play around and thus discover unknown, unexpected sides of themselves. I take a lot of time, I try to get to know them well and focus on each person's individual personality.

Q: How did you/do you choose your medium?

A: From the time I got my first camera at the age of about ten, photography was my way to go - and still is. It's fast, direct and personal - the perfect medium for me. And it's even better now in the age of digital photography. I'm a picture addict but I never was much into chemicals.

Q: Which artist has influenced you the most?

A: I see myself in a stream of influence from so many different sources, people and media that it's impossible to name a single artist.