The extreme format of Gursky’s pictures calls for extreme accuracy at the moment the photo is taken. “My large-format pictures can be read down to the last detail even when the viewer is standing up close,” explains Andreas Gursky at photokina. The unusual tension of the pictures stems from a surprising interplay between the effects when viewed from a distance and close up. Gursky shows contemporary scenes from afar, making this deliberately distant viewpoint aesthetically perceptible. At the same time, his creative presence ensures that viewers take a second look at his pictures, as when viewed more closely, the observer finds everyday features reproduced in meticulous detail.
Gursky’s pictures encourage us to take a new approach to topical issues. It is in everyday scenes that his artistic eye finds contradictions which he brings to light in an unusual manner, to the viewer’s surprise and confusion.
Gursky’s works are owned by international museums and private collectors.