Walter Schels: Life
Walter Schels: Life
July 17, 2019
Lias, 2016, from the series ‘Transsexual’, 40 x 40 cm, pigment print © Walter Schels
For more than 50 years, Walter Schels (born 1936) has dedicated himself to portraying people who are experiencing extreme life situations. Perhaps more than any other photographer of his generation, the exceptional artist has repeatedly ventured to the margins of human existence, creating series and long-term projects on topics spanning from birth to the dying process. His classic studio portraits, usually shot against a dark or neutral background, might depict any type of protagonist – from people with disabilities to well-known public figures. The artist separates his subjects from their individual circumstance, focusing purely on their physical and facial expressions. His approach has earned him a reputation as a reflective existentialist in the field of contemporary portrait photography.
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Lias, 2016, from the series ‘Transsexual’, 40 x 40 cm, pigment print © Walter Schels
Bodybuilding, 1980, 40 x 40 cm, pigment print © Walter Schels
Bauernkinder (farmer’s children), 1973, from the series ‘Bauernkinder, 10.5 x 16 cm, vintage gelatin silver print © Walter Schels