Simon Lehner was born in Wels, Austria in 1996. He is currently studying Photography at the University of applied Arts in Vienna, Austria. His work comes from personal experiences and has a documentary and performative core as it explores contemporary issues, social structures, psychology and its relation to current human and social developments through direct and embedded observation. In 2017 he published his first photo-book “Jaga” with the publisher Fotohof edition wich was shown at: Les Rencontres d‘ Arles, Arles, Paris-Photo, Kassel Photo-book festival and various others and got featured in die Zeit, Vice Magazine and more. With his ongoing book-project “Men don’t play / Men do play” he was shortlisted for the Unseen Dummy Award, Amsterdam in 2017. The series was exhibited at Unseen Amsterdam, Photo-book festival Moscow and at the Fotogalerie–Wien in 2018. He won the Paris–Photo Carte Blance Emerging Talent Award with his new series “How far is a lightyear” in 2018 (announced in September) and will be exhibited at the Paris–Photo this year.
Archive Image I took of my father (2005)
sculpture study, Archive material 3D Scan, early stage (2005-2018)
We follow the viewpoint of a boy who resembles the state of balancing two conflicting sides in a family. (2018)
How far is a lightyear?
„How far is a lightyear?“ investigates fatherhood, love and the development of identity through family. We follow the viewpoint of a boy who resembles the state of balancing two conflicting sides, while being stuck in the firing line of a bad love story, between unstableness and ignition.
The title stems from a question I asked my father when I was a kid and the time that has passed since he left my family but is also a reference to the medium of photography.
The series uses 3D Scans/Renderings consisting of the only images I took and have of my father dating back to 2005, indicating emotional and physical distance. Through this method, I now have the chance to reconstruct him and make my father tangible with the imagery I have left as I try to make a portrait without physical contact. Approximately 12299e14 kilometers of traveling light since I pressed the shutter of the camera in 2005.
Incorporated in the 3D scans are childhood drawings, memories and fantasies which hint at fears and dreams as a kid, the longing for a father but simultaneously resentment due to his actions.
As children, we try to imitate certain characteristics of parents and some are anchored in our DNA. Stem cells depicted in the state before flourishing to any cell type if manipulated, reference the different developments of a child when influenced and also shows my contrasted search on which attributes and characteristics I have from each side of my parents.
stem cells depicted in the state before flourishing to any cell type if manipulated, reference the different developments of a child when influenced and also shows my search on which attributes and characteristics I have from each side of my parents. (2018)
archive material 3D Scan/Rendering with childhood painting of water and ship (2005-2018)
cave/childhood getaway I (2018)
archive material 3D Scan, early stage (2005-2018)
development study with boy, (2018)
burning childhood getaway II (2018)
archive material 3D Scan, late stage 1,2299e14 km traveled light since shutter pressed (2005-2018)
the boy is finding himself in a state of being stuck in the firing line of a bad love story, between unstableness and ignition.
childhood visualization of my father’s choleric character (2018)
father in Rage, Archive material 3D Scan, late stage (2005-2018)
boy with ants (2018)
Mother and Father (2018)
father with ocean, Archive Image (2005)
To view more of Simon Lehner’s work please visit his website.