The Black and White Sea

Photographs by Sheila Rock are juxtaposed with the works of Beat Presser in the exhibition 'Seascapes', showing at Berlin's Johanna Breede Gallery from 20 June to 5 September 2015. The opening reception takes place on 19 June, from 18.00 to 21.00.


A Visual Voyage
The Swiss Leica photographer Beat Presser and London-based American artist Sheila Rock each set sail on their own visual voyage. Sheila Rock – particularly known for her portrait series 'Sera: The Way of the Tibetan Monk' and as a documentarist of the British punk scene of the seventies – visited the seaside resorts along the British coast. Her images are presented alongside the work of Beat Presser, who since the seventies has travelled almost every ocean – creating photographic impressions that span from the Caribbean to the Pacific and the Indonesian archipelago. Many of the images he created on these often strenuous journeys were published in Beat's magazine 'The Village Cry'. The Swiss photographer subsequently gained acclaim as set photographer for German film director Werner Herzog.

The Sea is Black and White
However different the two photographers' approaches, the juxtaposition of their black and white images results in a deeper exploration of their theme. Their photographs speak of yearning and evoke a desire for adventure – taking the viewer onto foaming waves in one image and returning them to safe shores in the next.

For further information visit Johanna Breede, Sheila Rock, Beat Presser