Experience "Up Close": Martin Schoeller's Groundbreaking Exhibition of Intimate Portrait Photography

This exhibition features Martin Schoeller's acclaimed 'Close Up' series, presenting intimate, oversized portraits of well-known personalities. The work emphasizes unfiltered reality, with every detail meticulously captured using characteristic luminous lighting.

OstLicht Gallery proudly presents "Up Close," the first exhibition in Austria dedicated to the work of Martin Schoeller. The exhibition draws from his renowned series, including 'Close Up,' 'Portraits,' 'Identical,' 'Transgender,' and 'Female Bodybuilder.' In the 'Close Up' series, Schoeller confronts viewers with intimate, eye-level portraits of celebrities, rendered as oversized blow-ups that reveal every wrinkle and blemish. His signature style, characterized by soft neon light creating luminous eyes and an uncompromising control over the setup, strips away self-staging, forcing an unfiltered confrontation with reality. Schoeller applies the same rigorous approach to all subjects, whether they are global stars like Angela Merkel or Valentino, individuals transitioning gender in his 'Transgender' series, or powerfully muscled women in 'Female Bodybuilder.' His 'Identical' series delves into questions of identity through twin portraits, while 'Portraits' playfully uses celebrities in meticulously planned, often unexpected settings. The exhibition is co-curated by Anke Degenhard, bringing a focused perspective to Schoeller's diverse body of work. The artist's consistent aesthetic, marked by a reduced use of makeup and a recurring camera perspective and lighting, creates a democratic and leveling effect, ensuring that the same rules apply to everyone portrayed. This approach, coupled with his ability to capture individuals in highly controlled yet revealing compositions, makes his portraits uniquely compelling.

This page primarily describes an archive exhibition and associated works. While links to purchase a PDF brochure and view works in the print shop are present, specific ticketing information for visiting the exhibition itself is not detailed here. Visitors are directed to the artist's information and press kit.