Introduction

ABOUT THE WORK

Selection

Olaf Martens’ photographs appear to come from another time, and yet, they are quite modern. They are authentic and in no way artificial. His depictions of women are far from stereotypical; although they are often naked and always theatrical, they are never objectified. Rather than being smooth, perfect, and one-dimensional, Martens’ models are always the key to his contrast-laden, opulent aesthetic.

Characterized by the era of unrest in the 1990s, Martens’ work continues to offer social criticism today. His unconventional approach to these themes can already be seen in his early works. Humour, imagination, and the courage to stage extreme shoots are what sets his work apart. The pictures seem like candid shots while also having very little in common with reality. The artist leads us to the boundaries between reality and illusion.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Born in Halle, East Germany in 1963, Olaf Martens first started taking photographs when the Berlin Wall was still standing. This was both a curse and a blessing. Martens describes the upside: “We were simply oblivious to many trends, so we didn’t have to follow them.” This gave him unimaginable freedom in his artistic development. By the time Martens finished his photography studies at the Leipzig Academy of Visual Arts in 1990 and became a freelance photographer, the GDR no longer existed.

Martens’ international career kicked off immediately after his graduation, beginning with the publication of his erotic photographs in Stern magazine in 1990. His work has appeared in countless exhibitions throughout all of Europe. Martens still resides in Leipzig.

TECHNIQUE

Although they are extravagantly staged, Martens’ photographs feel overwhelmingly real. He finds settings that have their own aura, putting the beautiful models in locations of decay and otherness: a discarded submarine, a classical revue theatre, or a palace. All of these locations come with a patina, a layer that makes the past and passage of time visible. Although they are often naked, the models in Martens’ photos are never soulless objects.

As a photojournalist, Robert Lebeck knew how to go through the world observantly so that he would not miss out on any magic moments. The precision in his analog photographs is impressive. Instead of depicting the subjects, Lebeck dove into the situations. In this way, he always discovered a unique angle and composition for his shots.

The women’s beauty is never merely decorative; they present themselves ironically in order to be provocative. Martens takes analog photographs, using digital image editing only for minor corrections, if at all. Martens loves mistakes and coarseness, finding sheer perfection rather boring.

I like things that last. These days, everything is fast-paced, usually with no rhyme nor reason. But solid footholds and roots are important.
Olaf Martens

Bio

1963	Born in Halle/(Saale), Germany
1980-1982	Apprenticeship as a draftsman
1985-1990	Studied Photography at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig, Germany
1990-1992	Postgraduate studies at the HGB
1990	Co-founded the punctum photo agency in Leipzig
1990	Began freelance career for magazines in fashion, beauty, society, and current affairs
1991	Master Class student, HdK Leipzig, Germany
Since 1999	Conducting fashion and PR shoots for international brands
	Lives and works in Leipzig

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

2011	Work / Shop / Works – EFTI gallery Madrid , Photo Espana, Madrid, Spain
2010	Reale Kunstwelten, Photoplatz, Berlin, Germany
	Olaf Martens, Photographie, Gallery Brucie Collections, Kiev, Ukraine
2009	Blockschokolade – Bilder aus der DDR 1979 – 1989, Galerie f 5,6, Munich, Germany
	Stück(e)werke - Galerie Photan – Leipzig, Germany
2008	Bruchstücke – Snatches, PlanB Gallery, Vienna, Austria
	Not Perfect, Gallery Photan, Leipzig, Germany
	Bruchstücke – Snatches, Visual Gallery, Photokina, Cologne, Germany
	Fashion ( able), NoNameGallery, Milano, Italy
	Unihibited, MVartprojects Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2007	Der schöne Mensch, Neue Sächsische Galerie, Chemnitz, Germany
	Heimat & Tapeten, Gallery Cokkie Snoei, Rotterdam and Kunstforum Halle, Germany
2006	Peripherie & Havarie, Galerie f 5,6 Munich, Germany
2005	Masken & Fassaden, FFI - Fotoforum International, Frankfurt, Germany
	Olaf Martens, Kunstlocatie Würth, Den Bosch, Nederlands
2004	Masken & Fassaden, Gallery f 5,6, Munich, Germany
	Träume Welten Hintergründe, Olaf Martens Fotografie 1984–2004, Grassi Museum, Leipzig, Germany
	Olaf Martens, Aplanat Gallery für Fotografie, Hamburg, Germany
2001	davor + dahinter, IP-Germany, Cologne, Germany
	Modefotographie – QuasiModa, Ephraimpalais, Berlin, Germany
2000	Der schräge Blick, International Photo Biennial, Goethe-Institut, Rotterdam, Germany
	Olaf Martens - Gallery Ackermann, Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany
1999	Der schräge Blick, Goethe-Institut, Lyon, France
1998	Lust & Spiele, Arthouse, Dresden, Germany
	Der schräge Blick, Barlach-Halle K, Hamburg, Germany
	Olaf Martens – Fotografie, 2nd International Photo Biennial, Moscow, Russia
1997	Gallery Löffler, Stuttgart, Germany
1996	Frostiges Feuer - Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Bonn, Germany
1993	Gallery Eye-Gen-Art, Cologne, Germany
1992	Gallery Specks Hof, Leipzig, Germany
	Gallery Fiedler, Leipzig, Germany
	Goethe-Institute, Rotterdam, Germany
1991	Gallery Alter Markt, Halle, Germany
	Gallery Bildende Kunst, Berlin, Germany
1990	Gallery Augenblick, Leipzig, Germany
1983	Fotoclub ROH, Liberec

Group Exhibitions

2011	Leipzig Photography since 1839, Museum of Fine Art, Leipzig, Germany
2009	3rd International F–Stop Festival, Leipzig, Germany
2008	Dark Side, Museum of Photography, Winterthur, Germany
2007	Review – 4 Jahre Gallery f 5,6, Munich, Germany
	The Heartbeat of Fashion, House of Photography/Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany
2006	Rendez-vous avec une femme, Gallery Bertin - Toublanc / Gallery Adler, Paris, France
	Körper, Gesicht & Seele. Frauenbilder vom 16. bis ins 21. Jahrhundert, Leopold Museum Vienna, Austria
	Photo Event 2006, Culture Centre De Warande, Turnhout, Berlgium
	Winterwonderland, FFI – Fotografie Forum International, Frankfurt, Germany
	Selektion #1, Arbeiten in Schwarz/Weiß, Gallery f 5,6, Munich, Germany
2005	Die Ästhetik der Lüste IV, Kamera- und Fotomuseum Leipzig, Germany
	Best of Aplanat, Aplanat Galerie für Fotografie. Hamburg, Germany
2004	Cokkie’s Summer Set Up, Gallery Cokkie Snoei, Rotterdam, Germany
	Fotografie de moda alemana 1945-1995, Museu Metropolitano de Arte, Suritiba, Brasil
	Von Körpern und anderen Dingen, Deutsche Fotografie im 20. Jahrhundert DHM, Germany
	Historical Museum, Berlin, Germany
2003	Phantom der Lust - Gallery and City Museum, Graz, Austria
	Von Körpern und anderen Dingen. Deutsche Fotografie im 20. Jahrhundert, Gallery oft he capital city, Prague, Moscow and Bochum
	Streiflichter, Museum für Kunsthandwerk / Grassi Museum, Leipzig, Germany
2000	Mode – Körper – Mode, Museum of Art and Trade, Hamburg, Germany
	Von Antlitz zu Antlitz, Artothek, Wiesbaden, Germany
	Bilder, die noch fehlten, Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Dresden, Germany
1999	Verlängerte Frohe Zukunft, Landeskunstausstellung Sachsen Anhalt, Halle/S., Germany
	Positionen der Farbfotografie, Galerie Alte Schule, Berlin, Germany
1998	Signaturen des Sichtbaren, Galerie am Fischmarkt, Erfurt, Germany
1997	Der fixierte Blick – Deutschland und das Rheinland im Focus der Fotografie, Germany Landesmuseum, Bonn und Erholungshaus der Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany
1996	Die andere Seite der Schönheit - Sammlung Michael Horbach, Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Bonn, Germany
	Epilog – Industrie und Landschaft, Otmar Alt-Stiftung, Hamm, Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn, Germany
1995	Bildermode – Modebilder. Deutsche Modefotografie Bildermode – Modebilder. Deutsche Modefotografie 1945–1995, Museum für angewandte Kunst & Gewerbe, Berlin (Touring Exhibition)
	Mode und Zeit und Traum, Gallery Talstraße, Halle, Germany
1994	Die Bildagentur Punctum, Stadtgeschichtliches Museum, Leipzig, Germany
	Exhibition of the students oft he master class, Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst, Leipzig, Germany
1992	Gallery Sandmann & Haak Hannover, Germany
	International Art Fair Art, Frankfurt, Germany
1988	150 Jahre Fotografie, Ephraimpalais, Berlin