13.10.2018 – 6.1.2019
ZAK Center for Contemporary Art – Lounge
For his new project, photographer Fabian Heublein (* 1986 in Leipzig) has portrayed actors in graffiti scenes in Leipzig and Berlin, among other places.
Nothing changes as quickly as contemporary working environments. The periphery is constantly pushing into the center. In the grey zones of the illegal, activities emerge that sooner or later develop from the margins of society to the centre. This process is characteristic of graffiti art. There are still nocturnal actions on buildings and suburban trains, but the visual language of graffiti has long since established itself in art, fashion and advertising. The subversive action has become a goutierten artistic expression. In the meantime, many scene artists have gained access to public and construction-related design. The change is underway and with it the changes in the habitus of graffiti artists. Both seem to be inscribed in this transition: criminalized spray action as well as recognized artistry. Characteristic of Fabian Heublein’s portraits is the naturalness with which his models appear in front of the camera: Instead of the artist’s pose, the work is to be perceived; no gaze, no pose of the portrayed person is thought up in front of the mirror. Rather, in many of his portraits an entirely individual relationship to art, to graffiti, becomes perceptible.
Supported by funds from the District Fund of the Senate Administration for Culture and Europe
