Neue Welt

Over the period of more than two decades, Wolfgang Tillmans has explored the medium of photo-imaging with greater range than any other artist of his generation. From snapshots of his friends to abstract images made in a darkroom without a camera or works made with a photocopier, he has pushed the photographic process to its outer limits in myriad ways. For this project, Tillmans turned away from the self-reflexive exploration of the photography medium that had occupied him for several years by focusing his lens on the outside world - from London and Nottingham to Tierra del Fuego, Tasmania, Saudi Arabia, and Papua New Guine. He describes this new phase simply as "trying out what the camera can do for me, what I can do for it." The result is a powerful and singular view of life today in diverse parts of the world, seen from many angles. Says Tillmans, "My travels are aimless as such, not looking for predetermined results, but hoping to find subject matter that in some way or other speaks about the time I'm in." This "Art Edition" consists of 72 photos printed on 24 folded sheets, delivered in a signed and numbered portfolio. Tillmans selected photographs from the book edition and recontextualised them on 24 large format folded sheets, each sheet becoming a large picture object with front, centerfold, and back. On some, the front and back form a whole picture when unfolded. The artist also chose some details which he enlarged to the full potential of information and detail available. Says Tillmans, "This is the first time I'm doing an oversized publication; in this case, the sheets are not bound-instead they stay light and it is almost like handling actual prints of mine." This "Art Edition" includes some of the content of the corresponding book, as well as some new photographs not featured in the book.