In Montecchio Maggiore, at the Bisazza Foundation: ‘Chronostasis’, a photographic exhibition by the German artist never before shown in Italy

Axel Hütte's photography is an art that goes beyond mere documentation. It tends to capture the essence and atmosphere of a place, conveying emotions, telling stories through images, inviting reflection on image and imagination: the beauty of architecture and landscapes, the majesty of structures sometimes captured through fragments, the natural context. Light and shadows play a decisive role in accentuating details and instilling mystery. The choice of angle and composition also plays a crucial role: unusual perspectives capture glimpses otherwise overlooked.

Bisazza Foundation and photography

The Bisazza Foundation presents at its headquarters in Montecchio Maggiore (Vi) until 1 December the photographic exhibition curated by Filippo Maggia ‘Chronostasis’, works by Axel Hütte (Essen - Germany, 1951), one of the most interesting contemporary German photographers, exponent of the Düsseldorf School.

For the first time in Italy

Exhibited for the first time in Italy, Axel Hütte's works in the exhibition pay homage to a number of archaeological sites in Asia Minor (Aphrodisia, Sagalassos, Ephesus, Hierapolis) through reasoned yet visionary documentation, illustrating their historical heritage by narrating the spirit of the place and providing engaging experiences.

Ruined cities and archaeological sites

‘There are places that I still remember decades after visiting them. The archaeological sites in Asia Minor were a unique and unforgettable experience. Thanks to numerous special permits, I was able to take photos in Aphrodisia, Sagalassos, Ephesus, Hierapolis and others, early in the morning and late at night, accompanied only by my team. Years ago, I saw Candida Höferr's photographs displayed in an amazing installation at the Bisazza Foundation. Now, I am very pleased to have been invited by the Foundation for a solo exhibition of mine presenting photographs of the metropolises of the Roman Empire, which have now become ruined cities or archaeological sites,' explains Axel Hütte.

Active contemplation

Through scenic views of monuments and evanescent details of the decorative motifs of the interiors of ceremonial halls and dwellings, Axel Hütte invites active contemplation, to lose oneself in the fantasies of the imagination, in the silence perceptible in each image, in a repeated transition between reality and illusion.

Chromatic emphasis

In all of Axel Hütte's photographs, light is a hallmark of his poetics, along with a chromatic emphasis, achieved by varying the actual colour intensities, a combination that the artist resorts to in order to lend an almost abstract, mysterious and contemporary character to all his works. The photographs are presented in large size and divided into two categories, according to the different type of print: ditone print and glass print.

Reason and feeling

‘By accepting the invitation of the Borusan Contemporary Art Collection of Istanbul to photograph the archaeological sites of Turkey, Axel Hütte has confirmed his vocation to deal with themes and places that, added together in his long artistic career, manifest a natural predisposition to interpret architecture according to a style that is both lucid and romantic, combining reason and sentiment,’ stresses curator Filippo Maggia.

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