Josef Schulz at Contact 2011

While travelling out East, I had the pleasure of seeing Josef Schulz's photography displayed in Terminal 1 at Pearson Airport as part of the 2011 CONTACT Photography Festival (you will have to excuse my blurry iPhone shots).  Its basic geometrical subjects could not have been better suited to the modern steel-beemed architecture of the terminal, and the vivid colours were arresting in the vast natural light.  I also loved the experience of viewing them while on the moving sidewalk, maybe they should have them installed in galleries!


Dusseldorf-based Shulz takes photographs of ubiquitous and utilitarian warehouses and industrial buildings, and then edits them to remove any identifying details. Windows, doors, chimneys, signs - all are stripped away to reveal the most basic shape and colours.  You can tell by looking at them that they aren't natural, but they are clearly photographs... I found it an interesting commentary on the line between "real" and "fake/manipulated" in photography.
Here is the info on the CONTACT site with regards to this installation, and a great roundup by BlogTO of some of the most interesting exhibitions in this year's festival.  I am so happy I got to see this one - I wish I could have seen more of them!

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