About the German Photographer, Gosbert ADLER (*1956 in Essen)
Gosbert ADLER studied photo design with Otto STEINERT and Angela NEUKE from 1977 to 1984. From 1982 to 1986, through the mediation of Michael SCHMIDT, he was a lecturer in photography at the 'Werkstatt für Photographie' of the Volkshochschule Berlin-Kreuzberg and also directed the workshop's gallery from 1984 to 1986. Since 1988 Adler has held teaching positions for photography at the FH Dortmund, the HS für Gestaltung und Kunst Zürich, the Universität der Künste Berlin, the Merz Akademie Stuttgart and the HS Wismar. From 2002 to 2007 he was professor of photography in the Department of Fine Arts at the FH Hannover. Since 2007 he teaches as professor for photography at the HS für bildende Künste Braunschweig.
Since the end of the 1970s, Gosbert ADLER has taken a critical position on the usual exploitation practice of the medium of photography beyond its function-bound tasks as an 'artistically reflective instrument'. Influenced by the concepts of 'documentary style' (Walker EVAMS) as well as 'auteur photography' (Klaus Honnef), he finds inspiration for a self-determined work. The reception of contemporary American photography in a new documentary tradition such as the 'New Topographics' movement also provides important impulses.His early works are autobiographically influenced. Since the 1990s, he has been concerned with the transformation of urban space. Images of people gain in importance. Gosbert ADLER lives in Berlin.
Photo books by and with participation of Gosbert ADLER (a selection)
'DDR FOTO' (1985, ed. together with Wilmar Koenig (ed.); 'Reste des Authentischen. German Photographic Images of the 1980s' (1985); 'Sog' (1990); 'Der schwarze Kasten' (1992); 'Die Zelle' (1994); 'Vom Umgang mit Veränderung. Contemporary Photography' (1995); 'Origin?' (1996, together with works by Tina BARNEY, Richard BILLINGHAM, Anthony HERNANDEZ, Fazal SHEIKH, Carrie Mae WEEMS); 'Places where I intend to have been' (1998), 'Reconstructing Space: Architecture in Recent German Photography' (1999); 'Urbanity and the photographer's strategy' (2001); 'Every photograph a picture' (2004); 'Blink. 100 Photographers, 10 Curators, 10 Writers' (2004); 'Workshop for Photography 1976-1986' (2016).
Awards
- 1989: Kodak Farbphotopreis '89 as part of the First German Photography Award of the Landesgirokasse Stuttgart
2001: Werner Mantz prijs voor fotografie, Stichting Werner Mantz, Maastricht, Netherlands
Solo exhibitions (a selection)
- 1983: Werkstatt für Photographie der VHS Berlin-Kreuzberg
1986: 'Nadja', Forum Stadtpark Graz
1990: 'Sog', Museum Folkwang Essen
1994: 'Die Zelle', Sprengel Museum Hanover
2000: 'Die Zelle', Goethe Institut Gallery, Toronto
2011: 'Brot', Galerie der HS für bildende Künste Braunschweig
2018: 'Sog', Galerie Jacky Strenz, Frankfurt am Main
Group exhibitions (a selection)
- 1984: 'Fotografie aus Berlin', Castelli Graphics, New York (as well as other stations until 1985)
1985: 'Europa – Amerika', Steirischer Herbst, Forum Stadtpark, Graz
1986: 'Reste des Authentischen. Deutsche Fotobilder der 80er Jahre', Museum Folkwang Essen and other statioons until 1987
1988: 'Photo-Boogaloo', Perspektief, Rotterdam
1989: 'Erster Deutscher Photopreis', Galerie der Landesgirokasse Stuttgart; 1. Internationale Fototriennale, Villa Merkel, Esslingen
1990: 'Fotografie für die Stadt', NGBK Berlin
1991: 'Surgence', Musée de Sainte-Croix, Poitiers and other stations until 1992
1992: 'Jahreslabor. Ein Bericht', Berlinische Galerie, Martin-Gropius-Building, Berlin
1993: 'Siemens Fotoprojekte 1987-92', Neue Pinakothek, München & Sprengel Museum, Hanover
1994: 'Another Continent', Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography; 'vis à vis. Fotografien aus Lothringen und dem Ruhrgebiet', Ruhrlandmuseum Essen as well as Galerie Robert Doisneau, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy; 'Aspekte deutscher Fotografie nach 45', Fluss. NÖ Fotoinitiative, Wolkersdorf and other stations
1995: 'The act of seeing (urban space) – taking a distance', Fondation pour L’Architecture, Brussles and other stations
1996: 'Herkunft,' Fotomuseum Winterthur; 'Die Klasse', Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich
1998: 'Ausstellung der Stipendiaten', Künstlerhaus Schloss Balmoral, Bad Ems
1999: 'Reconstructing Space: Architecture in recent German photography', Architectural Association, London
2001: Urbanity and the photographer’s strategy', Marres - Centrum Beeldende Kunst. Maastricht; Moments which I intend to remember', Stadsgalerij Heerlen
2002: 'Photoworks' (together with Robin Collyer), Goethe Institute Gallery, Toronto
2003: 'Zeitgenössische Deutsche Fotografie', Museum Folkwang Essen
2006: 'Storie urbane', Settimana della Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia
2015: 'n_7 - ort und irrtum', Projektraum Galerie Bohai, Hanover
2016: 'Das rebellische Bild. Werkstatt für Photographie 1976–1986', Museum Folkwang Essen; 'Kreuzberg-Amerika'. Werkstatt für Photographie 1976–1986, C/O Berlin