HALBZEIT
Art in public spaces, Hamburg
Photographer Michael Korte photographed 50 50-year-olds on the streets of Hamburg. The images were not retouched. The photographer used only light and shadow to interpret his subjects. The result is 50 very impressive and expressive images that portray this age group honestly, respectfully and in a way that speaks for itself.
The pictures are deliberately not exhibited in a closed gallery, but in public spaces, in order to return (larger than life) to where the photographer encountered them, in everyday life. It is not about staged beauty, marketability or clichés, but about personality, maturity, individuality, diversity and, of course, growing older and ageing in the midst of a society that treats this topic with ambivalence at all levels.
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Although statistical life expectancy is increasing – according to the Federal Office, every second man in Germany will live to at least 80, and every second woman to 85 – mathematically speaking, the majority of us are already well into our second half of life by the age of 50. Nevertheless, 50 is a turning point, a moment to pause, look around and take a good look at ourselves.
Photographer Michael Korte has attempted to capture this moment photographically. He has photographed 50-year-olds and then confronted them with their own image. In order to stay as close as possible to their personalities, and knowing full well that photography is not a reflection of reality but an interpretation of it, he has not manipulated the photos of the serious-looking 50-year-olds using editing programmes. It is an attempt to use light to highlight the smallest details such as skin texture, scratches, wrinkles, scars and marks that have “drawn” on the face over the course of a lifetime, thereby revealing a part of the personality that may not be visible in everyday life.
The reactions of those portrayed are as varied as their personalities. It is not necessarily a flattering form of self-reflection to engage with the interpretation of a photographer who is not concerned with making people look particularly good in front of the camera. It requires a healthy dose of self-confidence, a willingness to confront one's own life, and certainly a departure from the conventional, largely advertising-oriented approach to photography. Perhaps one must be at least 50 years old to encounter such a self-image.
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