Mirène Schmitz

AFFENSCHAUKEL & AMSELFRAU

AFFENSCHAUKEL [ REALITY IS NEGOTIABLE. THERE IS NO REALITY. ONLY MINE. AND YOURS. ] When I was dealing with my own values and investigating my limiting beliefs I came across many old pictures from the story of my life. It is set in a seemingly perfect world with accepted realities, ‘outlived’ beliefs, fixed patterns, an alienated home, strong familiarity, great yearning, deep roots, suppressed rage and unconditional love. Something in between perception and reality, between obligation and opportunity. In the series AFFENSCHAUKEL I restage this world of emotions by means of portraits and still lifes. The pictures show the outside and reveal what is inside. They touch, they irritate and they call for a second look. AMSELFRAU [ YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. THE WAY YOU ARE. PURE. AMSELFRAU.] As an AMSELFRAU (blackbird) with a beautiful plumage, unadorned and in a lovely silence I portrayed girls of different ages and replaced them into the past century. Completely with themselves - perfectly imperfect. The pictures show true beauty in this single moment. Photographed with a prototype of the Glaukar 3.1. Anastigmat Lens.

Photographer

Mirène Schmitz

Mirène Schmitz was born 1974 in Offenbach am Main, Germany. For many years she has run her own business as a consultant in marketing and communications until she decided in 2014 to follow her true passion and study photography at the Fotoakademie Köln. Since then, her work has been exhibited in different countries all across Europe. In 2017 her work AFFENSCHAUKEL has been honoured with the NEW TALENT AWARD 1/2017. In 2018 her series AMSELFRAU has been honoured with the NEW TALENT AWARD 1/2018. Mirène lives in Bonn. She works as an independent photographer in her own atelier.

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