Portfolio André Wagner

by Jürgen Rink

André Wagner’s fresh take on landscape photography has brought him a long way. From his modest beginnings in the graffiti scene, he is now based in Berlin and has a reputation that nets him invitations from galleries around the world. We spoke to this single-minded 30-yearold professional about his art, his craft and his business.

André Wagner finds most of his subjects outdoors at nighttime and photographs them using very long exposures. He is a master at taking his time, waiting until the light, the subject and the overall feel of asituation are just right. The results are fascinating photos of windblown trees in New Zealand or mysteriously glowing woods on the Mediterranean island of Majorca.

He consciously resists the urge to take photos all the time, wherever he is, and prefers to concentrate his thoughts on philosophy or mythology and engage with ideas about the elements and terms like fire, wind and creation. The next photographic project emerges when the time is right, be it in India, New Zealand or somewhere closer to home. These images are a long time in the making, and the processes involved elicit more than just a nod of recognition from viewers. They run counter to the way we are used to seeing things and, if it were not for their enigmatic twilight feel, the nighttime long exposures could almost be taken for daylight shots. Another factor that makes it impossible to overlook these photos is their format: ranging from one to three meters square, these huge LightJet and Dodeka prints really stand out, even in the largest museums or galleries.

Acclaimed by critics and well received by galleries and collectors, Wagner’s art scratches a very contemporary itch. The man himself is unwaveringly professional, releasing his largeformat works in limited editions of between three and seven prints and often mounting exhibitions that show just a single series or one particular project. The exact subject matter is decided in close consultation with galleries, and always with potential collectors in mind: What’s popular at the moment? What will demand be like in 10, or even 20 years? Many projects are simply shelved until the time is right.

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