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Innuendo
By Angie Jennings
Located in Kansas City, MO
Angie Jennings
Innuendo
Material: Archival Pigment Print
Date: 2012
Dimensions: 4 x 6 in.
Signed and numbered by hand
Edition: 15
COA provided
Angie has been doing photographic work for over 30 years. Her images can depict stories in a single image or a series of images. Her main focus is street documentary and portrait photography. Currently she has been exploring the abstract with the Avant-garde artists of the 40s as her inspiration. She has exhibited extensively with in Kansas City but also around the US and China.
Photography, Contemporary art, photographers, women photographers...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Atmospheres 7
By Angie Jennings
Located in Kansas City, MO
Angie Jennings
Title : Atmospheres 7
Materials : Dye Sub on Metal
Date : 2020
Dimensions : 40x.5x40
Description : Image is a circular print 40" in diameter.
Angie has been doing photographic work for over 30 years. Her images can depict stories in a single image or a series of images. Her main focus is street documentary and portrait photography. Currently she has been exploring the abstract with the Avant-garde artists of the 40s as her inspiration. She has exhibited extensively with in Kansas City but also around the US and China.
Photography, Contemporary art, photographers, women photographers...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Metal
Atmospheres 6
By Angie Jennings
Located in Kansas City, MO
Angie Jennings
Title : Atmospheres 6
Materials : Dye Sub on Metal
Date : 2020
Dimensions : 40x.5x40
Description : Image is a circular print 40" in diameter.
Angie has been doing pho...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Metal
Atmospheres 5
By Angie Jennings
Located in Kansas City, MO
Angie Jennings
Title : Atmospheres 5
Materials : Dye Sub on Metal
Date : 2020
Dimensions : 40x.5x40
Description : Image is a circular print 40" in diameter.
Angie has been doing photographic work for over 30 years. Her images can depict stories in a single image or a series of images. Her main focus is street documentary and portrait photography. Currently she has been exploring the abstract with the Avant-garde artists of the 40s as her inspiration. She has exhibited extensively with in Kansas City but also around the US and China.
Photography, Contemporary art, photographers, women photographers...
Category
2010s Abstract Photography
Materials
Metal
Atmospheres 4
By Angie Jennings
Located in Kansas City, MO
Angie Jennings
Title : Atmospheres 4
Materials : Dye Sub on Metal
Date : 2020
Dimensions : 40x.5x40
Description : Image is a circular print 40" in diameter.
Angie has been doing pho...
Category
2010s Post-Minimalist Photography
Materials
Metal
Atmospheres 3
By Angie Jennings
Located in Kansas City, MO
Angie Jennings
Title : Atmospheres 3
Materials : Dye Sub on Metal
Date : 2020
Dimensions : 40x.5x40
Description : Image is a circular print 40" in diameter.
Angie has been doing pho...
Category
2010s Abstract Photography
Materials
Metal
Atmospheres 2
By Angie Jennings
Located in Kansas City, MO
Angie Jennings
Title : Atmospheres 2
Materials : Dye Sub on Metal
Date : 2020
Dimensions : 40x.5x40
Description : Image is a circular print 40" in diameter.
Angie has been doing pho...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Metal
Atmospheres 1
By Angie Jennings
Located in Kansas City, MO
Angie Jennings
Title : Atmospheres 1
Materials : Dye Sub on Metal
Date : 2020
Dimensions : 40x.5x40
Description : Image is a circular print 40" in diameter.
Angie has been doing photographic work for over 30 years. Her images can depict stories in a single image or a series of images. Her main focus is street documentary and portrait photography. Currently she has been exploring the abstract with the Avant-garde artists of the 40s as her inspiration. She has exhibited extensively with in Kansas City but also around the US and China.
Photography, Contemporary art, photographers, women photographers...
Category
2010s Post-Modern Photography
Materials
Metal
Top Floor View
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: "Top Floor View"
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 10 X 8 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on label
COA provided
Multiple Sizes Available (please inquire within)
Framing Available (please inquire within)
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, photographer Pablo Saccinto had a unique journey to discovering his passion for photography. Before he ever picked up a camera, Saccinto studied "Dramatic Arts" at the Royal Theatre, seminary by Jolie Libois and attended the National University of Cinema and Television whilst practicing figure skating as a hobby. However, Pablo wanted his dream to became a reality. In 2009 He decided to try out and audition for Disney On Ice.
One year later, Saccinto became part of the magic. Since then He had the opportunity to participate in different productions of the company as Disney on Ice presents, “Toy Story 3", "Rockin’ ever after", "Let’s Celebrate", "100 years of magic", the big phenomenon "Frozen", and his current show "Dare to Dream", traveling to over 20 countries.
Some of the roles Pablo portrayed were, Le Fou from Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, and Miguel from the movie Coco Disney/Pixar.
It was through his career as a figure skater that Saccinto found new opportunities in his ever-changing surroundings. Traveling around the globe and seeing all the beauty that this world has to offer opened the door to pursue photography further.
Traveling has opened his mind and inspires him to photograph different cultures and even allows him to get to know himself on a before unknown level.
Contemporary, contemporary art, contemporary photography, travel photography, cities, Japan, Hiroshima, urban photography, street photography, fine art, architecture, architectural photography, black and white, black and white photography, nature, nature photography, photographers, travel, Edward Weston, William Eggleston, André Kertész, Frans Lanting, Berenice Abbott, Chris Burkard...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Top Floor View II
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: "Top Floor View II"
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 8 x 10 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on label
COA provided
Multiple Sizes Available (please inquire within)
Framing Available (please inquire within)
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, photographer Pablo Saccinto had a unique journey to discovering his passion for photography. Before he ever picked up a camera, Saccinto studied "Dramatic Arts" at the Royal Theatre, seminary by Jolie Libois and attended the National University of Cinema and Television whilst practicing figure skating as a hobby. However, Pablo wanted his dream to became a reality. In 2009 He decided to try out and audition for Disney On Ice.
One year later, Saccinto became part of the magic. Since then He had the opportunity to participate in different productions of the company as Disney on Ice presents, “Toy Story 3", "Rockin’ ever after", "Let’s Celebrate", "100 years of magic", the big phenomenon "Frozen", and his current show "Dare to Dream", traveling to over 20 countries.
Some of the roles Pablo portrayed were, Le Fou from Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, and Miguel from the movie Coco Disney/Pixar.
It was through his career as a figure skater that Saccinto found new opportunities in his ever-changing surroundings. Traveling around the globe and seeing all the beauty that this world has to offer opened the door to pursue photography further.
Traveling has opened his mind and inspires him to photograph different cultures and even allows him to get to know himself on a before unknown level.
Contemporary, contemporary art, contemporary photography, travel photography, cities, Japan, Hiroshima, urban photography, street photography, fine art, architecture, architectural photography, black and white, black and white photography, nature, nature photography, photographers, travel, Edward Weston, William Eggleston, André Kertész, Frans Lanting, Berenice Abbott, Chris Burkard...
Category
2010s Minimalist Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Spirit Away
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: "Spirit Away"
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 10 x 8 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on label
COA provided
Multiple Sizes Available (please inquire within)
Framing Available (please inquire within)
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, photographer Pablo Saccinto had a unique journey to discovering his passion for photography. Before he ever picked up a camera, Saccinto studied "Dramatic Arts" at the Royal Theatre, seminary by Jolie Libois and attended the National University of Cinema and Television whilst practicing figure skating as a hobby. However, Pablo wanted his dream to became a reality. In 2009 He decided to try out and audition for Disney On Ice.
One year later, Saccinto became part of the magic. Since then He had the opportunity to participate in different productions of the company as Disney on Ice presents, “Toy Story 3", "Rockin’ ever after", "Let’s Celebrate", "100 years of magic", the big phenomenon "Frozen", and his current show "Dare to Dream", traveling to over 20 countries.
Some of the roles Pablo portrayed were, Le Fou from Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, and Miguel from the movie Coco Disney/Pixar.
It was through his career as a figure skater that Saccinto found new opportunities in his ever-changing surroundings. Traveling around the globe and seeing all the beauty that this world has to offer opened the door to pursue photography further.
Traveling has opened his mind and inspires him to photograph different cultures and even allows him to get to know himself on a before unknown level.
Contemporary, contemporary art, contemporary photography, travel photography, cities, Japan, Hiroshima, urban photography, street photography, fine art, architecture, architectural photography, black and white, black and white photography, nature, nature photography, photographers, travel, Edward Weston, William Eggleston, André Kertész, Frans Lanting, Berenice Abbott, Chris Burkard...
Category
2010s Photorealist Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Path
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: "Path"
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 10 x 8 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on label
COA provided
Multiple Sizes Available (please inquire within)
Framing Available (please inquire within)
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, photographer Pablo Saccinto had a unique journey to discovering his passion for photography. Before he ever picked up a camera, Saccinto studied "Dramatic Arts" at the Royal Theatre, seminary by Jolie Libois and attended the National University of Cinema and Television whilst practicing figure skating as a hobby. However, Pablo wanted his dream to became a reality. In 2009 He decided to try out and audition for Disney On Ice.
One year later, Saccinto became part of the magic. Since then He had the opportunity to participate in different productions of the company as Disney on Ice presents, “Toy Story 3", "Rockin’ ever after", "Let’s Celebrate", "100 years of magic", the big phenomenon "Frozen", and his current show "Dare to Dream", traveling to over 20 countries.
Some of the roles Pablo portrayed were, Le Fou from Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, and Miguel from the movie Coco Disney/Pixar.
It was through his career as a figure skater that Saccinto found new opportunities in his ever-changing surroundings. Traveling around the globe and seeing all the beauty that this world has to offer opened the door to pursue photography further.
Traveling has opened his mind and inspires him to photograph different cultures and even allows him to get to know himself on a before unknown level.
Contemporary, contemporary art, contemporary photography, travel photography, cities, Japan, Hiroshima, urban photography, street photography, fine art, architecture, architectural photography, black and white, black and white photography, nature, nature photography, photographers, travel, Edward Weston, William Eggleston, André Kertész, Frans Lanting, Berenice Abbott, Chris Burkard...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Passage
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: "Passage"
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 10 x 8 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on label
COA provided
Multiple Sizes Available (please inquire within)
Framing Available (please inquire within)
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, photographer Pablo Saccinto had a unique journey to discovering his passion for photography. Before he ever picked up a camera, Saccinto studied "Dramatic Arts" at the Royal Theatre, seminary by Jolie Libois and attended the National University of Cinema and Television whilst practicing figure skating as a hobby. However, Pablo wanted his dream to became a reality. In 2009 He decided to try out and audition for Disney On Ice.
One year later, Saccinto became part of the magic. Since then He had the opportunity to participate in different productions of the company as Disney on Ice presents, “Toy Story 3", "Rockin’ ever after", "Let’s Celebrate", "100 years of magic", the big phenomenon "Frozen", and his current show "Dare to Dream", traveling to over 20 countries.
Some of the roles Pablo portrayed were, Le Fou from Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, and Miguel from the movie Coco Disney/Pixar.
It was through his career as a figure skater that Saccinto found new opportunities in his ever-changing surroundings. Traveling around the globe and seeing all the beauty that this world has to offer opened the door to pursue photography further.
Traveling has opened his mind and inspires him to photograph different cultures and even allows him to get to know himself on a before unknown level.
Contemporary, contemporary art, contemporary photography, travel photography, cities, Japan, Hiroshima, urban photography, street photography, fine art, architecture, architectural photography, black and white, black and white photography, nature, nature photography, photographers, travel, Edward Weston, William Eggleston, André Kertész, Frans Lanting, Berenice Abbott, Chris Burkard...
Category
2010s Minimalist Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Passage II
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: "Passage II"
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 8 x 10 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on label
COA provi...
Category
2010s Minimalist Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Japanese Lanterns
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: Japanese Lanterns
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 8 x 10 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on lab...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Itsukushima
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: Itsukushima
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 10 x 8 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on label
COA provided
Multiple Sizes Available (please inquire within)
Framing Available (please inquire within)
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, photographer Pablo Saccinto had a unique journey to discovering his passion for photography. Before he ever picked up a camera, Saccinto studied "Dramatic Arts" at the Royal Theatre, seminary by Jolie Libois and attended the National University of Cinema and Television whilst practicing figure skating as a hobby. However, Pablo wanted his dream to became a reality. In 2009 He decided to try out and audition for Disney On Ice.
One year later, Saccinto became part of the magic. Since then He had the opportunity to participate in different productions of the company as Disney on Ice presents, “Toy Story 3", "Rockin’ ever after", "Let’s Celebrate", "100 years of magic", the big phenomenon "Frozen", and his current show "Dare to Dream", traveling to over 20 countries.
Some of the roles Pablo portrayed were, Le Fou from Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, and Miguel from the movie Coco Disney/Pixar.
It was through his career as a figure skater that Saccinto found new opportunities in his ever-changing surroundings. Traveling around the globe and seeing all the beauty that this world has to offer opened the door to pursue photography further.
Traveling has opened his mind and inspires him to photograph different cultures and even allows him to get to know himself on a before unknown level.
Contemporary, contemporary art, contemporary photography, travel photography, cities, Japan, Hiroshima, urban photography, street photography, fine art, architecture, architectural photography, black and white, black and white photography, nature, nature photography, photographers, travel, Edward Weston, William Eggleston, André Kertész, Frans Lanting, Berenice Abbott, Chris Burkard...
Category
2010s Photorealist Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Fushimi Inari-taisha
By Pablo Saccinto
Located in Kansas City, MO
Title: "Fushimi Inari-taisha"
Medium: Custom Archival Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Date: 2019
Dimensions: 8 x 10 in.
Signed, dated and inscribed on la...
Category
2010s Photorealist Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Pop Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft, or the creation of avatars are also interesting worldwide phenomena of virtual realities that are not only relevant for children and teens.
So when a middle-aged Berlin photographic artist (like Christian Rothmann) chooses to study 120 toy robots with great difference in form, it represents a journey back to his own childhood - even if at the time, he played with a steam engine rather than a robot. Once batteries had been inserted, some of the largely male or gender-neutral robots, could flash, shoot, turn around and even do more complicated things. Some can even still do it today - albeit clumsily. This, of course, can only be seen on film, but the artist intends to document that as well; to feature the robots in filmic works of art.
The positioning of the figures in the studio is the same as the tableau of pictures in the exhibition room. In this way, one could say Rothmann deploys one robot after the other. This systematic approach enables a comparative view; the extreme enlargement of what are actually small and manageable figures is like the macro vision of insects whose fascinating, sometimes monster-like appearance only becomes visible when they are blown up a hundredfold. The same thing goes for the robots; in miniature form, they seem harmless and cute, but if they were larger than humans and made noises to match, they would seem more threatening.
Some of the tin figures...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Street Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Pop Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Pop Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Outsider Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft, or the creation of avatars are also interesting worldwide phenomena of virtual realities that are not only relevant for children and teens.
So when a middle-aged Berlin photographic artist (like Christian Rothmann) chooses to study 120 toy robots with great difference in form, it represents a journey back to his own childhood - even if at the time, he played with a steam engine rather than a robot. Once batteries had been inserted, some of the largely male or gender-neutral robots, could flash, shoot, turn around and even do more complicated things. Some can even still do it today - albeit clumsily. This, of course, can only be seen on film, but the artist intends to document that as well; to feature the robots in filmic works of art.
The positioning of the figures in the studio is the same as the tableau of pictures in the exhibition room. In this way, one could say Rothmann deploys one robot after the other. This systematic approach enables a comparative view; the extreme enlargement of what are actually small and manageable figures is like the macro vision of insects whose fascinating, sometimes monster-like appearance only becomes visible when they are blown up a hundredfold. The same thing goes for the robots; in miniature form, they seem harmless and cute, but if they were larger than humans and made noises to match, they would seem more threatening.
Some of the tin figures...
Category
2010s Street Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft, or the creation of avatars are also interesting worldwide phenomena of virtual realities that are not only relevant for children and teens.
So when a middle-aged Berlin photographic artist (like Christian Rothmann) chooses to study 120 toy robots with great difference in form, it represents a journey back to his own childhood - even if at the time, he played with a steam engine rather than a robot. Once batteries had been inserted, some of the largely male or gender-neutral robots, could flash, shoot, turn around and even do more complicated things. Some can even still do it today - albeit clumsily. This, of course, can only be seen on film, but the artist intends to document that as well; to feature the robots in filmic works of art.
The positioning of the figures in the studio is the same as the tableau of pictures in the exhibition room. In this way, one could say Rothmann deploys one robot after the other. This systematic approach enables a comparative view; the extreme enlargement of what are actually small and manageable figures is like the macro vision of insects whose fascinating, sometimes monster-like appearance only becomes visible when they are blown up a hundredfold. The same thing goes for the robots; in miniature form, they seem harmless and cute, but if they were larger than humans and made noises to match, they would seem more threatening.
Some of the tin figures...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Pop Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Street Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft, or the creation of avatars are also interesting worldwide phenomena of virtual realities that are not only relevant for children and teens.
So when a middle-aged Berlin photographic artist (like Christian Rothmann) chooses to study 120 toy robots with great difference in form, it represents a journey back to his own childhood - even if at the time, he played with a steam engine rather than a robot. Once batteries had been inserted, some of the largely male or gender-neutral robots, could flash, shoot, turn around and even do more complicated things. Some can even still do it today - albeit clumsily. This, of course, can only be seen on film, but the artist intends to document that as well; to feature the robots in filmic works of art.
The positioning of the figures in the studio is the same as the tableau of pictures in the exhibition room. In this way, one could say Rothmann deploys one robot after the other. This systematic approach enables a comparative view; the extreme enlargement of what are actually small and manageable figures is like the macro vision of insects whose fascinating, sometimes monster-like appearance only becomes visible when they are blown up a hundredfold. The same thing goes for the robots; in miniature form, they seem harmless and cute, but if they were larger than humans and made noises to match, they would seem more threatening.
Some of the tin figures...
Category
2010s Pop Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Outsider Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Outsider Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft, or the creation of avatars are also interesting worldwide phenomena of virtual realities that are not only relevant for children and teens.
So when a middle-aged Berlin photographic artist (like Christian Rothmann) chooses to study 120 toy robots with great difference in form, it represents a journey back to his own childhood - even if at the time, he played with a steam engine rather than a robot. Once batteries had been inserted, some of the largely male or gender-neutral robots, could flash, shoot, turn around and even do more complicated things. Some can even still do it today - albeit clumsily. This, of course, can only be seen on film, but the artist intends to document that as well; to feature the robots in filmic works of art.
The positioning of the figures in the studio is the same as the tableau of pictures in the exhibition room. In this way, one could say Rothmann deploys one robot after the other. This systematic approach enables a comparative view; the extreme enlargement of what are actually small and manageable figures is like the macro vision of insects whose fascinating, sometimes monster-like appearance only becomes visible when they are blown up a hundredfold. The same thing goes for the robots; in miniature form, they seem harmless and cute, but if they were larger than humans and made noises to match, they would seem more threatening.
Some of the tin figures...
Category
2010s Street Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Pop Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft...
Category
2010s Street Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveler through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations, but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way, he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypical and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylized, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents, and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their manufacture, and their features are in no way modeled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys, and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights, and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures, and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly, since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft, or the creation of avatars are also interesting worldwide phenomena of virtual realities that are not only relevant for children and teens.
So when a middle-aged Berlin photographic artist (like Christian Rothmann) chooses to study 120 toy robots with great difference in form, it represents a journey back to his own childhood - even if at the time, he played with a steam engine rather than a robot. Once batteries had been inserted, some of the largely male or gender-neutral robots, could flash, shoot, turn around and even do more complicated things. Some can even still do it today - albeit clumsily. This, of course, can only be seen on film, but the artist intends to document that as well; to feature the robots in filmic works of art.
The positioning of the figures in the studio is the same as the tableau of pictures in the exhibition room. In this way, one could say Rothmann deploys one robot after the other. This systematic approach enables a comparative view; the extreme enlargement of what are actually small and manageable figures is like the macro vision of insects whose fascinating, sometimes monster-like appearance only becomes visible when they are blown up a hundredfold. The same thing goes for the robots; in miniature form, they seem harmless and cute, but if they were larger than humans and made noises to match, they would seem more threatening.
Some of the tin figures...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Street Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Outsider Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Pop Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Pop Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Outsider Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Conceptual Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Futurist Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Street Art Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition ...
Category
2010s Modern Photography
Materials
C Print
Untitled (from ROBOTNICS Series)
By Christian Rothmann
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christian Rothmann
ROBOTNICS Series
C-Print
2019
Edition S (Edition of 10)
12 x 8.3 inches (30.5 x 21 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered verso
Other Edition Sizes available:
- Edition M (Edition of 6) 35.4 x 23.6 inches (90 x 60 cm)
- Edition L (Edition of 6) 47.2 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 cm)
- Edition XL (Edition of 3) 88.8 x 58.8 inches (225 x 150 cm)
PUR - Price Upon Request
--------------
Since 1979 Christian Rothmann had more than 40 solo and 80 group exhibitions worldwide.
Christian Rothmann had guest lectures, residencies, art fairs and biennials in Europe, Japan, USA, Australia and Korea.
Christian Rothmann (born 1954 in Kędzierzyn, Poland ) is a painter, photographer, and graphic artist.
In 1976 he first studied at the “Hochschule für Gestaltung” in Offenbach, Germany and moved to Berlin in 1977, where he graduated in 1983 at the “Hochschule der Künste”. From 1983 to 1995 he taught at the university as a lecturer and as an artist with a focus on screenprinting and American art history. To date, a versatile body of work has been created, which includes not only paintings but also long-standing photo projects, videos, and public art.
Guest lectures, teaching assignments, scholarships and exhibitions regularly lead Rothmann to travel home and abroad.
------------------------------------------------------
Rothmann's Robots
These creatures date back to another era, and they connect the past and the future. They were found by Christian Rothmann, a Berlin artist, collector and traveller through time and the world: In shops in Germany and Japan, Israel and America, his keen eye picks out objects cast aside by previous generations , but which lend themselves to his own work. In a similar way he came across a stash of historic toy robots of varied provenance collected by a Berlin gallery owner many years ago. Most of them were screwed and riveted together in the 1960s and 70s by Metal House, a Japanese company that still exists today. In systematically photographing these humanoids made of tin - and later plastic - Rothmann is paraphrasing the idea of appropriation art. Unknown names designed and made the toys, which some five decades on, Rothmann depicts and emblematizes in his extensive photo sequence.
In their photographs of Selim Varol's vast toy collection, his German colleagues Daniel and Geo Fuchs captured both the stereotypcal and individual in plastic figures that imitate superheroes which were and still are generally manufactured somewhere in Asia. Christian Rothmann looks his robots deep in their artificially stylised, painted or corrugated eyes - or more aptly, their eye slits - and although each has a certain degree of individuality, the little figures remain unknown to us; they project nothing, and are not alter egos. Rothmann trains his lens on their faces and expressions, and thus, his portraits are born. Up extremely close, dust, dents and rust become visible. In other words, what we see is time-traces of time that has passed since the figures were made, or during their period in a Berlin attic, and - considering that he robots date back to Rothmann's childhood - time lived by the photographer and recipients of his pictures. But unlike dolls, these mechanical robots bear no reference to the ideal of beauty at the time of their
manufacture, and their features are in no way modelled on a concrete child's face.
In this art project the robots appear as figures without a context, photographed face-on, cropped in front of a neutral background and reduced to their qualities of form. But beyond the reproduction and documentation a game with surfaces is going on; our view lingers on the outer skin of the object, or on
the layer over it. The inside - which can be found beneath - is to an extent metaphysical, occurring inside the observer's mind. Only rarely is there anything to see behind the robot's helmet. When an occasional human face does peer out, it turns the figure into a robot-like protective casing for an astronaut of the future.
If we really stop and think about modern toys, let's say those produced from the mid 20th century, when Disney and Marvel films were already stimulating a massive appetite for merchandising, the question must be: do such fantasy and hybrid creatures belong, does something like artificial intelligence already belong to the broader community of humans and animals? It is already a decade or two since the wave of Tamagotchis washed in from Japan, moved children to feed and entertain their newly born electronic chicks in the way they would a real pet, or to run the risk of seeing them die. It was a new form of artificial life, but the relationship between people and machines becomes problematic when the machines or humanoid robots have excellent fine motor skills and artificial intelligence and sensitivity on a par with, or even greater than that of humans. Luckily we have not reached that point yet, even if Hollywood adaptations would have us believe we are not far away.
Rothmann's robots are initially sweet toys; and each toy is known to have a different effect on children and adults. They are conceived by (adult) designers as a means of translating or retelling history or reality through miniature animals, knights and soldiers. In the case of monsters, mythical creatures and robots, it is more about creating visions of the future and parallel worlds. Certainly since the success of fantasy books and films such as Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, we see the potential for vast enthusiasm for such parallel worlds. Successful computer and online games such as World
of Warcraft, or the creation of avatars are also interesting worldwide phenomena of virtual realities that are not only relevant for children and teens.
So when a middle-aged Berlin photographic artist (like Christian Rothmann) chooses to study 120 toy robots with great difference in form, it represents a journey back to his own childhood - even if at the time, he played with a steam engine rather than a robot. Once batteries had been inserted, some of
the largely male or gender neutral robots, could flash, shoot, turn around and even do more complicated things. Some can even still do it today - albeit clumsily. This of course can only be seen on film, but the artist intends to document that as well; to feature the robots in filmic works of art.
The positioning of the figures in the studio is the same as the tableau of pictures in the exhibition room. In this way, one could say Rothmann deploys one robot after the other. This systematic approach enables a comparative view; the extreme enlargement of what are actually small and manageable figures is like the macro vision of insects whose fascinating, sometimes monster-like appearance only becomes visible when they are blown up a hundredfold. The same thing goes for the robots; in miniature form they seem harmless and cute, but if they were larger than humans and made noises to match, they
would seem more threatening.
Some of the tin figures...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
The Wall Design
Located in Kansas City, MO
Christine Gerhard
The Wall Design
C-Print on Aluminum Substrate
Year: 1999
Signed, numbered, dated and titled by hand
Edition: 5
Size: 32.0 × 25.7 inches
COA provided
Category
1990s Contemporary Photography
Materials
C Print
The Wait
By Helen Graham
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Helen Graham
Title : The Wait
Materials : Archival Pigment Print
Date : 2019
Unframed
Photography has always been a way for Helen Graham to express her emotio...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment