ABOUT THE SERIES

48stunden (48 hours) is a photography project exploring the many facets of a city, its diversity, and contradictions. It looks not only at places of wealth and prosperity, peace and quiet but also at those that have been neglected and forgotten. It engages with the deep complexity that is embedded within every centre of history and culture and visually confronts the loneliness present in any large metropolis. In this context, loneliness refers to the emptiness within as well as the physical and psychological distance between people, and the nostalgic beauty of open space.

All images for 48stunden are captured with a camera that spies once used in the Russian underground, also known as LOMO. They present a certain mystery and beauty of the unseen and unknown. A surreal and dream-like feel affects the images, incorporating personal experience and emotion with influences from all over the world.

48stunden (48 hours) originally started in Sydney in 2005 and phases have since also been completed in Melbourne, Vienna, Barcelona, Monaco, Paris, and Ljubljana. Eventually elements of this project shall be completed in many cultural cities around the world portraying a unique mix of the known and less discovered. 48stunden forms an abstract interpretation, a collective observation and intensive search for the complex character of a city, its people, and its country.

In each participating city, 48 hours are allocated to capture and discover. Each artwork is formed out of a minimum of two overlapping frames up to 15 or more. This technique was developed to truly capture the above-described complexity and is furthermore emphasised by a vibrant and distinct use of colour. Even though the images are scanned and carefully prepared for printing on the computer, everything essential and defining for the image is done in camera. No digital manipulation is used to produce the final large format prints.