Otto Steinert stands as a pivotal figure in German post-war photography, profoundly influencing its direction and visual language. He skillfully bridged the gap from the "New Seeing" movement to his revolutionary concept of "Subjective Photography," fundamentally challenging the norms of documentary photography with his tension-filled compositions. This article explores Otto Steinert's contributions, his innovative techniques, and his lasting legacy in the world of photography, offering a detailed analysis for students and enthusiasts.
Otto Steinert: The Pioneer of Subjective Photography
Born in Saarbrücken, Germany, in 1915, Otto Steinert developed a passion for photography early in life. Despite his teenage enthusiasm, he initially pursued a medical career, serving as a staff physician during World War II. It wasn't until 1947 that Steinert fully dedicated himself to photography, marking the beginning of a transformative era in the medium.
Early Career and the Genesis of Fotoform
Steinert's formal involvement in photography education began in 1948 when he started teaching at the Saarland State School of Arts and Crafts in Saarbrücken. This period was crucial for the development of his artistic vision. In 1949, he founded the influential group Fotoform. The primary objective of Fotoform was to revitalize the avant-garde photographic traditions of the 1920s, drawing inspiration from the formal experiments of the "New Vision" and the Bauhaus movement.
The Impact of Fotoform at Photokina
In 1950, the Fotoform group unveiled their groundbreaking work at Photokina, the world's largest trade fair for photography. Their presentation was met with intense reaction, famously described by one critic as “an atomic bomb in the dung heap of the rest of German photography.” This powerful reception underscored the radical departure Fotoform represented from the prevailing photographic styles of the time. This wasn't a singular event; between 1951 and 1958, Fotoform continued to present significant exhibitions under the overarching theme of "subjective fotografie."
As the leading figure of this movement, Steinert passionately advocated for photography that fully embraced and exploited the artistic potential inherent in the medium. He championed an approach where the photographer's subjective vision and creative manipulation were paramount.
Otto Steinert's Groundbreaking Techniques
Steinert's commitment to artistic expression led him to develop and employ a range of innovative photographic methods. These techniques aimed to move beyond mere documentation and instead create images that conveyed feeling, abstraction, and the photographer's inner world. His preferred methods included:
- Camera-less photography: Exploring images created without a camera, often using light-sensitive paper directly.
- Reduction to strict black and white: Emphasizing form, texture, and contrast through a monochromatic palette.
- Tight cropping: Isolating subjects and elements to create tension and focus.
- Long exposures: Capturing movement, light trails, and a sense of dynamism.
- Inversion of tonal values (solarisation): Flipping light and shadow to create surreal and abstract effects.
- Multiple exposures and montages: Combining several images or negatives to construct new realities in the darkroom.
These methods allowed Steinert to craft tension-filled compositions that fundamentally influenced the visual language of photography.
Experimental Photographs: A Unique Approach to Prints
Among Otto Steinert’s most celebrated works are his experimental photographs, predominantly created between 1948 and 1954 during his teaching tenure at the Saarland State School of Arts and Crafts. These works highlight a crucial aspect of his philosophy: that the negative serves merely as source material, while the final print is the ultimate artistic goal. Steinert believed that each print was a unique creation, not just a reproduction.
His approach involved meticulous darkroom manipulations, including:
- Recopying
- Solarisation
- Negative mounting
- Calculated post-exposure
Through these individual shaping techniques, Steinert ensured that each print was distinct, making it almost impossible to create exact reprints. This challenged the common assumption that photographs could be endlessly duplicated from a single negative, proving the print's inherent artistic value. Iconic examples include Verspielter Punkt (1948) and Ein-Fuß-Gänger (1950).
"Mask of a Dancer" – An Icon of Subjective Photography
No other image is as closely associated with Otto Steinert’s work as Mask of a Dancer (1952). Steinert chose this striking piece as the cover image for the illustrated book accompanying his first exhibition, "Subjektive Fotografie," in 1952. The creation of this iconic image involved several complex techniques:
- Doubling the negative: A frontal view of a dancer's negative was duplicated.
- Side-by-side copying with overlap: The two negatives were copied side-by-side, overlapping at the inner eyes.
- Tonal inversion: Steinert utilized negative copying to achieve an inversion of black and white tonal values. This technique further reduced prominent features, enhancing the abstract quality of the "portrait." The effective distribution of deep blacks and extreme highlights creates an image that captivates the viewer, detaching it from any real-world visual experience.
Mask of a Dancer continues to inspire with its intense expressivity and surrealistic alienation, cementing its place as a masterpiece of subjective photography.
Luminograms: Tracing Light and Dynamics
Steinert’s luminograms, largely produced between 1951 and 1952, represent another facet of his experimental genius. These works focus on capturing the dynamics and essence of light itself. In Lamps of the Place de la Concorde (1952), Steinert used long exposures and camera movement in the dark to create traces of light, allowing light to be drawn onto the paper like rhythmic gestures. These luminograms, often on a black background, are positive variants.
In their negative versions, the light traces appear black on white, intensifying the drawing effect. The luminograms stand out as works where Steinert gave significant space to chance and impulsivity, embracing unpredictability in his artistic process.
A Lasting Educational Legacy
Beyond his artistic output, Otto Steinert left an indelible mark on photography education. From 1959 to 1979, he served as a teacher and professor at the prestigious Folkwang Schule in Essen. During his tenure, he built a renowned museum and mentored a generation of influential photographers, including André Gelpke, Dirk Reinartz, and the globally recognized Andreas Gursky. His commitment to teaching and fostering new talent solidified his place as a true pioneer.
Otto Steinert Prints at Auction: A Glimpse into History
On November 24, 2023, the Viennese auction house Leitz auctioned 22 vintage Otto Steinert prints as a convolute. This collection featured several of his most celebrated works, including Mask of a Dancer, View from the Arc de Triomphe, One-Foot Walker, and Lamps of the Place de la Concorde. These vintage prints originated directly from the inventory of the Foto Cine Clube Bandeirante (FCCB) in Brazil. They were part of the significant 1955 exhibition, "Otto Steinert and His Students," held at the Museum of Modern Art in São Paulo, co-organized by the FCCB. The sale of these photographs contributed to ongoing efforts to preserve the FCCB’s legacy and promote photography worldwide.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Otto Steinert
Who was Otto Steinert?
Otto Steinert was a German photographer and educator (1915-1979) who is best known as the founder of "Subjective Photography." He revolutionized post-war German photography by advocating for artistic expression and subjective vision over purely documentary approaches, employing experimental darkroom techniques.
What is Subjective Photography (Subjektive Fotografie)?
Subjective Photography was a movement spearheaded by Otto Steinert and his Fotoform group, primarily active from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. It aimed to revive avant-garde photographic traditions and emphasize the photographer's artistic interpretation and emotional content, using experimental techniques to create images that went beyond objective reality.
What techniques did Otto Steinert use in his photography?
Steinert employed a wide array of experimental techniques, including camera-less photography, strict black and white compositions, tight cropping, long exposures, tonal inversion (solarisation), multiple exposures, and various darkroom manipulations like negative mounting and calculated post-exposure. These methods allowed him to create unique and abstract prints.
Where did Otto Steinert teach?
Otto Steinert taught photography at the Saarland State School of Arts and Crafts in Saarbrücken from 1948 and later at the prestigious Folkwang Schule in Essen from 1959 to 1979. He significantly influenced many students, including prominent photographers like Andreas Gursky.