"Lichtform"

Unterstinkenbrunn, NÖ

gelatin silver print on aluminum Dibond

Our perception is mainly concerned with recognizing and classifying objects and items in our environment so that we can orient ourselves. We hardly perceive light as such. This has to do with the fact that our intellect is formed by learning language, which consists of object-related concepts. Light is the omnipresent prerequisite for our perception. But even the fading of light at dusk is perceived more as a color, as a blue tint. It is equally difficult to depict light per se using the means of classical photography. Although light is the medium in the process of exposure, it always manifests itself indirectly through the objects depicted.
I came to the subject of light through its opposite, darkness. The decisive factor was the discovery of a very large vacant building. Entire sections of the building lay in darkness, and in some of these empty interiors, only traces of light penetrated through half-open doors and windows. I learned that light not only becomes visible through shadows and darkness, but also creates emotional tension, as on a theater stage.
Between 2014 and 2020, I explored the interplay of light and darkness in a reduced form in two series: Schattenlicht (Shadow Light) was created in darkened interiors of empty buildings, while Nachts (At Night) was realized in the urban space of Venice under nighttime street lighting.
Since fall 2023, I have been pursuing a new approach in my exploration of light: I work exclusively with direct sunlight. The resulting harsh contrasts with the shadow areas create a graphic aesthetic that can be particularly effectively realized in black-and-white photography. The focus on the light-shadow ratio requires the most minimalist image composition possible. To achieve this, I use casual, everyday elements – facades, edges, structures – as a stage for the light. This dialogue creates an image space that gains a sculptural quality through the presence of light.
(Nikolaus Korab)