Anton Kuehnhackl is an artist residing between the North Bay/SF Bay Area.
A recent graduate of San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI), their work focuses on pushing the “classical” approach to photography
through multidisciplinary methods. Questioning the importance of the medium, its “truth”,
and materiality. They have been in solo and group shows like: Bpart Berlin,
Healdsburg Center for the Arts, Lifeframer, Diego Rivera Gallery, Bass & Reiner.
Reconfiguring a ‘Thing’ Like You and Me
I am interested in questioning approaches towards photography, wether that’s through presentation, how an image is constructed, or re-photography. I believe that for the medium to continue on, it needs to address new ways of looking at and considering images; how they function in the 21st century.
These works ask if formal roles of photographs, as things that can only be displayed in one way, rigid ways, are really working. Using the “Materiality” and “Object-ness” of itself, its structure, to turn it into something new; outside of these constraints, asks even more impactful questions. In constructing physically and digitally, it obscures the overall truth of the image and focuses the viewer on specific parts. I question, instead of directly challenging the medium.
The objects “dailyness” within the photos also play a large role. By using what’s merely around me, familiar, I’m not only touching on topics of place/home/memory, but obscuring it. This also ties into a viewers interpretation of my works, their personal takeaway from it. Did a flower set remind them of shopping with their parents, or decorating? Does a stack of unbalanced plates bring about anxieties? Its these personal answers that I seek to mine from the viewer, in order to generate new meanings and contextualize my work within the broader domain of photography itself.
It’s also just being curious about how something will look, the “phenomenology” of an image as opposed to some overarching grand meaning. Humor and hints of personal memories also play roles (with titles/objects). One could say I’m trying to “reinvent the wheel”, but all I’m asking is why not multiple views of the same wheel? is there even a “wheel” in the first place? Where is the truth in this medium and is that still important today?
To view more of Anton Kuehnhackl’s work please visit their website.