Wolfgang Tillmans

by Wolfgang Tillmans, Burkhard Riemschneider (Editor)

"Really, Tillmans is a novelist who tells tales of what it is like to be alive right here, right now, and this feels wonderful."
The Village Voice, New York

"Les plus beaux livres d'art, et les plus originaux, c'est souvent la maison Taschen qui les édites."
Elle, Paris

"There is so much life in Tillmans' photos because they show spectacular subject matter in an unspectacular way."
Der Spiegel, Hamburg

Genres: Photography, Art, Collections, Art and Photography

240 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2002

About the author

Wolfgang Tillmans is an influential contemporary German photographer whose work is in dialogue with artists such as Andreas Gursky and Gerhard Richter. Emerging in the 1990s with his snapshots of teenagers, clubs, and LGBTQ culture, Tillman’s practice has expanded to include diaristic photography, large-scale abstraction, and commissioned magazine work. “I want the pictures to be working in both directions,” the artist has said. “I accept that they speak about me, and yet at the same time, I want and expect them to function in terms of the viewer and their experience.” Capturing landscapes from an airplane window, still lifes of crustaceans, or straightforward portraits, his work conveys the profundity of an encyclopedic archive. Tillmans’ attention to even the most incidental moments can be seen in his Concorde Grid (1997), a group of 56 color photos depicting the airplane taking off along with the surrounding scenes captured during the moments in between.

Born on August 16, 1968 in Remscheid, West Germany, Tillmans spent the early part of his career in London after graduating from the Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design. In 2000, he was awarded the prestigious Turner Prize, marking the first time the prize had been awarded to a photographer or non-British artist. In 2006, Tillmans established Between Bridges, a non-profit exhibition space located in Berlin. His survey show “Wolfgang Tillmans: 2017” opened at the Tate Modern in London to critical acclaim, cementing his stature in the contemporary art world. The artist currently lives and works between Berlin, Germany and London, United Kingdom. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin, and the Kunstmuseum Basel, among others.

Reviews

[Stijn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time seeing anything special photographically speaking; interesting humans in the pictures, yes, maybe, interesting pictures? not really. I'm looking forward to later compilations though to see how his style evolved and whether I connect better with later periods.

[Sara Larrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que genio. Quiero este libro, lo leí en clase. Como muestra a las personas a su alrededor, incluso en los momentos más íntimos y "raros". Me encanta

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technically this is four books in one. Good book to understand his work.
Also I recently learned you can download his photobooks as PDF on his personal website.

[Catarina Rocha · Rating 5 out of 5]

o fotolivro mais lindo que eu tenho

[Felix Gomez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only got this for the Young Mungo photo and it was worth it.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

☁️💍

[zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

as a wise person once said: "FFF". unbelievable i found this for like 3 bucks at a salvos, this is incredible, so thankful that i chanced upon it and got introduced to this guy.

[Antonette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love his work… it can feel repetitive at times but that’s his style I respect that!

[Ante Ivanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean it’s Wolfgang Tillmans in 1995. It’s incredible.