Naturstudien

Plants and Flowers

Mushrooms

A uniform and neutral point of view is adopted. No shadows or reflections, pure colour, absolute sharpness: “I see myself as a mediator between nature and the viewer and strive to reveal what is already there. My subjective point of view plays no role in this.” – Axel Schmidt

NATURSTUDIEN – Colors Projekt

The Colors project is a joint artistic initiative by Axel Schmidt and Anna Defez.

Axel is a photographer and visual artist. He is responsible for the portraits and the precise capture of the objects. Axel studied at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences under Prof. Gottfried Jäger and Prof. Karl Martin Holzhäuser. Gottfried Jäger coined the term generative or concrete photography, and Holzhäuser is also considered one of its most important representatives.

Anna Defez is a designer from Barcelona and works on the narrative and design aspects of the project. She documents and organises colours and contributes her perspective to the development of content.

Together, they attentively roam various landscapes and analyse, examine and interpret the plants and fungi they find.

Naturstudien combines:

– Aesthetics with documentation

– Photography with art

– Commitment with eco-critical nature philosophy

A neutral, frontal perspective is chosen for the photographs. Shadows and reflections are largely avoided so that the pure colour is visible without external influences. The absolute sharpness makes each portrait a window into the life of the plants. This allows viewers to explore details that would otherwise remain hidden and gain insights into the diversity of shapes and colours. The individual species are perceived in their full complexity. In nature, these details are usually overlooked. Only the isolated portrait makes us aware and gives us the opportunity to focus on the natural intelligence of plants and fungi and to develop an appreciation for this diversity.

The Colors project is a celebration of colours and shapes and encourages dialogue. It shows us the diversity we are in the process of losing. It is an invitation to look, explore, question and build a relationship with the life forms we find in our immediate environment.

Chromatic Wall

Each image shows the opulent diversity of nature with a precision that often remains hidden in the natural environment. In nature itself, many things appear to us as a big mess, which often prevents us from seeing the uniqueness and beauty in the details. Through the detached representation in the images, we recognize and appreciate these hidden details. Back in nature, this sensitizes us to the subtleties and allows us to experience nature in a new way.

Our extensive image library allows us to create stunning art installations that follow the rules of colour and form.Each image is 14 cm x 10.5 cm in size, mounted on a 18 mm thick multiplex plate and equipped with magnets. Installation is facilitated by the use of a steel plate, which is affixed to the wall and used to align the images.

Phänotypes

Phenotypes in plants refer to the observable physical characteristics and traits that result from the interaction of the plant’s genetic makeup (genotype) with its environment. These traits include aspects like the plant’s height, leaf shape, flower color, seed size, and resistance to diseases. Phenotypes are influenced by both the plant’s genes and external factors such as light, temperature, soil quality, and water availability. Thus, while the genotype provides the blueprint, the phenotype is the actual manifestation of how that blueprint is expressed in real-world conditions.

Transition

The subject is brought into absolute focus over a defined period of time. During this time, the focus slowly increases from the back until the object is seen in all its detail. There is no movement during this process. One must take the time to follow the process of becoming visible. There is a deep meditative quality to this silent observation. It requires patience and devotion to fully engage in the moment, to follow each shift of focus in order to experience the object in its full splendor. This slowed-down process is an exercise in mindfulness, focusing on the details and making us aware of the beauty and complexity of nature.

You see here an example to explain the project. The original resolution is higher than 8k and therefore designed for large-format display. The zoom at the end is only inserted to illustrate the level of detail accuracy. The duration of the crossfade depends on the exhibition concept. Conceivable durations range from 3 minutes to a year.

Pilze Eine Galerie

“Mushrooms: A Gallery” by Axel Schmidt is not just a book about mushrooms, but also a visual masterpiece. This collection showcases an impressive diversity of mushrooms in artistic photographs that highlight the beauty and variety of these often overlooked organisms. This book was selected by the Stiftung Buchkunst as one of the 25 most beautiful German books of 2018.

Unique Piece

In line with my photographic principles, which eschew reflections and shadows, and instead embrace pure colour, my photographs are created as matte fine-art prints. This allows for a more uninterrupted viewing experience. These limited edition pictures are printed in a 60 x 80 cm format.

Echinops

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Sorbaria sorbifolia