Berlin photographer Sven Marquardt debuts two exhibitions in Melbourne and Sydney

The Goethe Insitut presents the Australian debut of Berlin’s analogue photographer, Sven Marquardt.

His two exhibition of works, Fotografien, showcasing at Melbourne’s The Substation from 28 April – 31 May, and Future’s Past at Sydney’s Ambush Gallery or the Head On Festival from 5 -22 May, tell a story of the present, past and future merging into one through a series of natural timeless black and white pictures.

His career in photography flourished in the early 80s in East Berlin, working as an assistant for Germany’s photo-scene iconic, Rudolf Schafer. Along side working as fashion photographer for East German fashion magazine Sybylle, Mawquardt was portraying artists of the fashion scene known as Allerleiraugh, as well as producing black and white photography of East Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg scene.

Marquardt was inspired by Berlin’s budding unity after the collapse of the Berlin wall, and expressed his impressions through his works, with “staged photography” for Levi’s Jeans during Berlin’s Fashion Week, and continuously through fashion shoots for magazines like Qvest and Front.

“The anticipation before seeing the results lasts for a few days – almost a luxury these days. To view 5,000 digital images during the shooting and to delete 4,999 because they’re crap, that’s not my cup of tea,” says Marquardt.

Australian audiences can be absorbed into the dark and captivating photographs by Sven Marquardt in Sydney and Melbourne as part of the Urban Subcultures Program – a curated series of exhibitions and concerts showcasing the intense flurry of cultural activity of subculture in the 80s.

“This will be my first visit to Australia, and most likely the furthest I’ve travelled. The decision to put on a show in two metropolitan cities, that’s a challenge! But I love challenges and am very happy about the invitation,” says Marquardt.

Head here for more info.

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