Black in Dark – Photographs. Hubertus Hamm – The International Design Museum Munich
The International Design Museum Munich
Black in Dark – Photographs. Hubertus Hamm
03.12.2010-27.02.2011
A provocative approach in the field of product photography: Hubertus Hamm’s photographic work, the contents of which only become apparent to the viewer at a second glance. They can be irritating, giving the viewer few clues as to what objects are actually depicted.
Hubertus Hamm
Lamp »Sparkle Shady« Jaime Hayon for Swarovski chair »Cab Chair« by Mario Bellini for Cassina
Photo and Copyright: Hubertus Hamm
For a number of years Hubertus Hamm has been working conceptually with the use of black in his photographs to fathom the limits of human perception. He made the »Black in Dark« series of images in early 2010 for ZEITmagazin: black design objects in a dark room without any artificial lighting.
The objects include – for example – lamps such as Tobias Grau’s »Falling Water« or »Sparkle Shady« from Swarovski, cutlery, glasses and beakers, clocks and televisions, furniture such as »Yo-Yo2« from Ligne Roset, and the deluxe bicycle »All Black Bike« from Hublot. Despite the virtually non-existent illumination, the objects reflect light very slightly and, as a result, are rendered visible in the first place.
Hubertus Hamm
Lamp »Falling Water« by Tobias Grau
Photo and Copyright: Hubertus Hamm
Hubertus Hamm
»All Black Bike« by Hublot
Photo and Copyright: Hubertus Hamm
On top of this, the jet black, matte surfaces of the photographs themselves absorb almost all ambient light. It is, however, not merely the darkness of the shots that hinders any interpretation of the objects photographed, but the unconventional angle also leaves much unexplained. The viewer is left groping in the dark. Nothing tangible can really be seen and partially dissolves into abstraction.
Courtesy Pinakothek der Moderne
Images © Hubertus Hamm
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