Stephan Schenk
Forest Panorama
Stephan Schenk began producing his forest panoramas in 2002 with photographs of the Bavarian Forest National Park. In the meantime, he has created 38 such 360-degree views. Schenk deals in this series of works with the forest in the broadest sense, exploring the many meanings it has for us as inhabitants of the planet.
Schenk has composed ten black-and-white details into a 360-degree panorama, showing from a single standpoint a sweeping view of the entire forest. Variable treatment and grouping of the individual gelatin silver prints in the respective spatial context results in more or less dynamic-looking processes taking place against the horizon line and among the more striking trees. The forest thus reveals continually new perspectives to us.
The question of perception is an important theme of the series. While the panorama at first appears to be a coherent whole, upon closer inspection the eye of the beholder becomes frustrated by the overlapping of the motifs at the edges of the individual images. This optical break exposes the volatility of our vision and enables us to appraise the work detached from its subject.
Ausstellung in der Reihe FEATURE der Galerie m Bochum, vom 4.3.-6.5.2015
Schenk has composed ten black-and-white details into a 360-degree panorama, showing from a single standpoint a sweeping view of the entire forest. Variable treatment and grouping of the individual gelatin silver prints in the respective spatial context results in more or less dynamic-looking processes taking place against the horizon line and among the more striking trees. The forest thus reveals continually new perspectives to us.
The question of perception is an important theme of the series. While the panorama at first appears to be a coherent whole, upon closer inspection the eye of the beholder becomes frustrated by the overlapping of the motifs at the edges of the individual images. This optical break exposes the volatility of our vision and enables us to appraise the work detached from its subject.
Ausstellung in der Reihe FEATURE der Galerie m Bochum, vom 4.3.-6.5.2015
Inyo, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, USA, 2008
Grosser Ahornboden, Karwendel, Österreich, 2009
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, Frankreich, 2010
Darsswald, Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, Deutschland, 2006
Haselwald, Tosteberga Ängar, Schweden, 2007
Jedediah Smith Redwoods S.P., USA, 2008
Joshua Tree N.P., USA, 2008
Kimberley Downs, WA, Australien, 2003
Live Oak Forest I, Cumberland Island, USA, 2010
Live Oak Forest II, Cumberland Island, USA, 2010
Lorbeerwald, Parque Nacional de Garajonay, La Gomera, Spanien, 2013
Masoala Regenwald, Zoo Zürich, Schweiz, 2006
Plettnerschonung-Kiefernforst, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Deutschland, 2007
Quinault Rain Forest, Olympic N.P., USA, 2008
Wienerwald, Österreich, 2005