Helmut GiersiefenCrime Scenes (Signed and numbered edition of 200)

"Scenes of crime"

They are usually hidden at the edge of the forest or in clearings, in ensembles, with trees, bushes or electrical pylons. Most are made of wood to adapt perfectly to their environment. High seats are constructions used for hunting from a hide. Sitting above the wind to avoid being detected by wild animals, the hunter is hidden in ambush. Helmut Giersiefen calls “scenes of crime” these miradors composing his photo series of analogue black and white photographs.

While they come only in 6 basic shapes, the viewer is fascinated by the ‘architectural’ diversity of these high seats that photographer Helmut Giersiefen calls “anonymous wooden sculptures in nature.” He uses a special black and white film called Washi to photograph them in their respective surroundings, which gives his views the eerie atmosphere of a crime scene.

Produced by a small factory in Saint-Nazaire (France), the Washi film is made by applying photographic emulsion by hand to Moriki paper. Washi means “handmade translucent paper” in Japanese. The orthochromatic film has a low sensitivity (25 ISO/15°) and high gradation. It requires the photographer to very accurately assess the lighting conditions and contrast range of his motif. The analogue baryte prints offer astonishing tonal richness and surprising graphic effects. The origin of the term “photography” comes from Ancient Greek – photós (light) and graphein (drawing). The series “Scenes of crime” by Helmut Giersiefen combines the presentation of typological motifs with the original concept of photography – drawing with light.

Hardcover 275 x 215 mm. Pictures are pasted on paper. Limited edition of 200 copies. Signed and numbered.