Description
THE UNSEEN SEEN
Reiner Riedler
132 pages
20,5 x 25 cm
Handpasted Hardcover
50 color photos
Foreword by Dr. Rainer Rother
Text: Volkmar Ernst (http://www.volkmarernst.de)
Text editing: Anna Arenas Marr, Annika Schaefer
Translation: Rhodes Barrett, Berlin
Design & Concept: Florian G. M. Fischer (http://www.flofischer.de)
Printing: Tiskárna Rentis s.r.o., Pardubice, Czech Republic
Edition of 500
ISBN: 978 – 3 – 200 – 03455 – 6
Published, 2014
“In „The Unseen Seen”, Reiner Riedler (…) undertakes an unusual balancing act: his photography reduces the medium film to its materiality, making of it photographic works of art. In 2013 the Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum for Film and Television opened its film archive to give the photographer access to original negatives and release prints. His photographs feature selected reels, throwing light on their physical being – they display an aesthetics and uniqueness familiar to only a small circle of archivists and projectionists.
In addition to prints of films such as “Der Blaue Engel” (D 1930, director: Josef von Sternberg) and „Trois Couleurs Bleu” (PL/F/CH 1993, director: Krzysztof Kieslowski) we see photos of original negatives of works like „Die Worte des Vorsitzenden” (BRD 1967, director: Harun Farocki) and das indische grabmal (BRD/F/IT 1959, director: Fritz Lang).
These photographs were taken in a consistent setting with invariable lighting; nevertheless, the reels glow in a wealth of colours. Little indication is given to the viewer about the adaptation of the material; the pictures bear only actual film titles as captions.
Finally, The Unseen Seen also takes as its theme the physical medium of film, presents pictures of destroyed reels: a call to see film in a new light.” Dr. Rainer Rother
The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition:
“The Unseen Seen – Film in a New Light”
Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen
January 23, 2014 – April 27, 2014
Artistic director: Dr. Rainer Rother
Curators: Volkmar Ernst, Reiner Riedler
Photographs: Reiner Riedler
Project management: Peter Mänz, Nils Warnecke
Exhibition coordination: Vera Thomas
Audiovisual media program: Volkmar Ernst
Exhibition assistance: Georg Simbeni
Text editing: Rolf Aurich
English translations: Rhodes Barrett, Berlin
