Asger Carlsen
‘Asger Carlsen born 1973 in Denmark. Lives and works in New York, NY.’ These are the words you see when you click the ‘info’ tab on Asger Carlsen’s website. It’s a short, sharp description that does not assign the Dane any profession. Carlsen is often described as a photographer. If you ask him to label himself, though, he will say he’s a material collector. Of his work, he says it is actually very little about the photographing process, and more about the “relentless” editing.
Between 1991 and 1996, Carlsen worked as a photographer specializing in pure depictions of crime scenes. He soon discovered that he used his camera in an unexpected and unconventional way. In 2006, he began layering images on top of one another – for example, to create odd-looking faces with many eyes. The resulting images shocked even himself, and he did not show the work to anyone. Today, however, the 38-year-old has come to terms with his unusual techniques. Carlsen is well known for deconstructions that question both the meaning of photography as well as the prevailing notions of normality and beauty. He is inspired by surrealism and the works of painter Francis Bacon.
In Carlsen’s best known series, Wrong, he edits and distorts everyday scenes. What looks familiar at first quickly becomes alien. People’s reactions range from strong dislike to admiration. Even models for his photography have no idea what they will end up looking like. Fortunately, most are okay with the result. But there was one man who commented on Facebook that he did not necessarily need to see obese people like this.
Carlsen dares to bend traditional connotations of photography. The Düsseldorf-based venue NRW-Forum recently showed the exhibition The Start of Art Photography, where it listed Asger Carlsen as one of the photographers likely to have the greatest say in the future. Read more »
Es Devlin
Es Devlin’s life epitomizes the word ‘busy.’ The 41-year-old mother of two has a tight schedule: while events and appointments are planned years in advance, they also have a habit of popping up spontaneously, too. More often than not, the British designer will receive a phone call in the middle of the night then find herself on a plane the next morning. The destination can be New York, Los Angeles or any city where a superstar might take up residence.
Devlin designs productions for artists across a broad cultural spectrum. From crowd pullers such as Lady Gaga, Take That, Shakira, Rihanna and Kanye West to theatrical productions, opera performances and sporting events, including last summer’s London Olympics.
It is just after 10:00am and we are standing on the terrace of her home in London Peckham. Devlin points out some of the capital’s top sights, including the venues that have once been temporarily transformed by her creative vision. “Although it is not even a clear day, you can just about see Westminster Abbey – it is the building with the flag on top; over there is our first stop, The Royal Opera House; here you can see St. Paul’s cathedral; there is the London Eye; over there is the Olympic stadium, our second venue; and this is where we are going tonight – the O2 arena.“ Read more »
