Hassan J. Richter

Germany

The photographer Hassan J. Richter sees himself as a monumental documentarian of deindustrialised areas.

He traces the changes in these places and metaphorically raises the selective, local-historical experiences to a general level of human dealings with successes and crises. Initially Richter found his motifs mainly in East Germany, but globalisation and the relocation of industrial production have broadened his artistic view to include the whole of Europe. In Hassan J. Richter's work, the theme of decay is central. Decay is emblematic of the problematic way modern man deals with his own history and documents both today's fast pace and transience as well as processes of displacement, i.e., the human unwillingness to create and preserve a differentiated image of history.

In their decay, the large-scale series Lost Places tell of people who once imprinted these places with life. Precisely these imprints are still reflected in the decay and are thus filled with the splendour of times long past. With his photography, the artist succeeds in capturing this magic of the past in unique snapshots and presenting it in an artistically charming way. Until the right motif is found, the artist often visits the places several times.

The photos are taken with an analogue medium format camera or a plate camera. Analogue photography requires time and tranquillity, the ability to get involved with the places and lighting conditions, but it makes high-quality prints possible. The basis for the intense colours of the pictures is a negative film.

Biography
Hassan J. Richter was born on 20 March 1969 in Arnstadt/Thuringia. After graduating from high school, he completed an apprenticeship as a road construction technician and on the side worked continuously with photography. Since 2007 he has been working as a professional photographer. The photos are taken with an analogue medium format camera or a plate camera (4×5 inch). With analogue photography I can make high-quality prints, but above all it requires a special approach. Each photo requires me to take time and calm, and thus to get involved with the places to choose motifs corresponding to the respective lighting conditions. The basis for the intense colours of the pictures is a negative film (Kodak Ektar).