German photographer michael wolf captured in his serie architecture of density, images that acutely acknowledge the landscapes overwhelming concentration of soaring buildings and skyscrapers in hong kong in art theres no rules, you can do whatever you want. The results are spectacular, with colorful mosaics of concrete and glass. Buy michael wolf architecture of density stand alone volume of hong kong inside outside 3rd edition by wolf, michael isbn. In 2010 and 2016 he was nominated for the prix pictet photography award. Architecture of density is the republished version of hong kong outside, which was part of the two book set hong kong inside outside. Books by michael wolf author of chinese propaganda posters. Copy art and 100 x 100, robert koch gallery, san francisco, ca. The majority of its citizens live in flats in highrise buildings. In architecture of density, wolf investigates these vibrant city blocks, finding mesmerizing abstractions in the buildings facades. Michael wolf has lived there since 1994, and has seen the rapid growth in people and buildings first hand. Apr 01, 20 depictions of architectural density in hong kong born in munich and now living in hong kong, awardwinning photographer michael wolf has focused his career on capturing life in mega cities. The structures in the series are photographed without reference to the context of sky or ground, and many buildings are seen. Michael wolf explains the vision behind his hong kong photo. What distinguishes him from others is his acute ability to find the symbolic value in those seemingly.
The almost monotonous frontal photos of facades taken by wolf in hong kong 20032008 harbour surprises, such as balconies and birdcages. Michael wolf, who photographed skyscrapers minus the sky. In his project titled architecture of density, wolf is able to accurately capture the concentration of what it truly means to leave in a concrete jungle. By eliminating the sky and cropping in on just specific sections of the buildings, wolf transforms the repetitive rows of mesmerizing patterns and textures. Focused on the specific visual elements michael wolf has depicted high density living in one of the world s most crowded cities like nobody has before. Born in germany, raised in the united states and canada, returning to germany to study photography before spending the vast majority of his career in asia, his work defies categorization. Hong kong michael wolf, a photographer who was known for his vertiginous depictions of rainbowhued skyscrapers in hong kong as well as the minutiae of everyday life there, died on thursday at. Michael wolfs most popular book is chinese propaganda posters. This book is the republished version of hong kong outside, which was part. Jan 24, 2016 michael wolf architecture of density michael wolf michael wolfs photography is that of an outsider. Michael wolf s window watching invasive or curious. Michael wolf architecture of density stand alone volume of hong kong inside outside. Michael wolf architecture of density stand alone volume. This book is the republished version of hong kong outside, which was part of the two book set hong kong inside outside.
Focused on the specific visual elements michael wolf has depicted high density living in one of the. Photographer michael wolf, whose images celebrated life in. Having lived there for several years, wolf began to document hong kongs extreme development and complex urban dynamics. Stunning and sobering, the photographs of highrise apartment buildings in hong kong by german photographer michael wolf reveal his personal fascination.
Michael wolf architecture of density bildband berlin. If his little guides to the most unusual uses of hong kongs back alleys is a sort of loving and amused diary, is in fact with architecture of density that wolf, who had already won the world press photo twice in 2005 and 2010, gained international recognition, bringing him to the nomination for the prestigious prix pictet, again in. Architecture of density photographs bymichael wolf lensculture. Michael wolf architecture of density lens magazine. One of the most densely populated metropolitan areas in the world, hong kong has an overall density of nearly 6,700 people per square kilometer.
Wolf eliminates the skyline and the horizon to make images flatter and. Architecture of density photographs bymichael wolf. Michael wolf, courtesy of flowers gallery fri 26 apr 2019 12. This book has been published before as part of the two book set hong kong inside outside, which is completely sold out. Michael wolf s most popular book is chinese propaganda posters. The images are large scale flat captions of buildings which appear to be infinite and haunting in michael s photos. Hong kong is filled to the brim with over 7 million people, and with land at a premium, the city builds up, not out.
Wolfs project architecture of density features mesmerizing, abstract photos of hong kong apartment buildings images that highlight. He worked and lived in paris and hong kong where he died in april 2019. Michael wolf offers a new perspective on hong kongs high. Oct 16, 20 the photographer michael wolf s study of hong kong, the architecture of density, began with the sars outbreak in 2002. Apr 26, 2019 his most wellknown work is the 2009 book architecture of density, where he turned his lens on the citys tall buildings. Wolf is survived by his wife, barbara, and son, jasper. Oct 01, 2012 this book is the republished version of hong kong outside, which was part of the two book set hong kong inside outside. Apr 26, 2019 wolf is survived by his wife, barbara, and son, jasper. An image of hong kong from architecture of density, 2009, by michael wolf. He rids his pictures of any context, such above or the earth below, and rarely includes people, either. Wolf initially compiled the photos for his architecture of density project, which is now in book.
These surreal photos of hong kongs aging towers arent doctored. Michael wolf s architecture of density project transforms hong kongs ubiquitous highrise architecture into stunning works of art. Michael wolf s 100 photos of 100 rooms of 100sq ft. Architecture of density the outside volume of hong kong insideoutside. Michael wolf photographs crumbling buildings in need of repair, brand new. Depictions of architectural density in hong kong twistedsifter. Buy by michael wolf michael wolf architecture of density stand alone volume of hong kong inside outside hardcover by michael wolf isbn. Apr 11, 2020 germanborn photographer michael wolf documents the extreme densities of hong kong. Googles mapping tools spawn new breed of art projects. Oct 01, 2012 buy michael wolf architecture of density stand alone volume of hong kong inside outside 3rd edition by wolf, michael isbn. Michael wolf 30 july 1954 24 april 2019 was a german artist and photographer whose work focused on daily life in big cities. As many people became sick and others left the city, it dawned on wolf that.
Michael wolf, whose photos of hong kong showed its density. By michael wolf michael wolf architecture of density. Many of his projects document the architecture and vernacular culture of metropolises. Real fake pictures and architecture of density, gallerie wouter van leeuwen, amsterdam solo 2007 two photographers in a dialog, michael wolf and stephen canham, hallische gallerien, dresden, germany 2006 architecture of density, hasted hunt, new york city, new york 2006 made in china, museum of contemporary photography, chicago, illinois 2005. Abebooks, an amazon company, offers millions of new, used, and outofprint books. Michael wolf captures the wall of densely populated apartment buildings in the chinese metropolis. Just a little while later, michael published architecture of density largescale photos of some of those humongous apartment buildings in hong kong. Apr 26, 2019 a photo from bastard chairs by michael wolf. Focused on the specific visual elements michael wolf has depicted high density living in one of the worlds most crowded cities like nobody has before. The series is also available as a book entitled, architecture of density. Obrazky, zvuky ci videa k tematu michael wolf ve wikimedia commons. Home all books michael wolf architecture of density. Hong kong architecture of density by michael wolf archeyes.
Photographer michael wolf creates highly detailed largescale views of highrise structures that are homes to millions in modern hong kong. Below are a selection of wolfs photos of his home, hong kong. I can almost hear the birds singing, said urban anthropologist friederike fleischer as we looked through the book architecture of density 20092012 by michael wolf. Wolf published more than 10 books, including the critically acclaimed titles tokyo compression and architecture of density. He removes any sky or horizon line from the frame and flattens the space until it becomes a relentless abstraction of urban expansion, with no escape for the viewers eye. Architecture of density, wolf s most wellknown work. Architecture of density the outside volume of hong. The photographic series architecture of density is one of michael wolf s most renowned bodies of work, demonstrating his sustained exploration of life in megacities. Vertigoinducing photos of hong kong housing show just how. This was michael in a nutshell, curious about life, art and photography, a sensitive observer who perceived the world. Hong kongbased photographer michael wolf is best known for architecture of density, which shows the citys tower blocks as dramatic. Wolf s disorienting vantage point gives the viewer the feeling that the buildings extend indefinitely, which perhaps is the spatial experience of hong kongs inhabitants. May 30, 20 in architecture of density, german photographer michael wolf takes the massive, busy city of hong kong and narrows it down to the smaller details of its highrise apartment buildings. With a magazine youre always confined to pictures on a page.
May 02, 2019 an image of hong kong from architecture of density, 2009, by michael wolf. Architecture of density audio interview and photographs of the artist. What makes michael wolf different is his ability to find the symbolic value of insignificant details that go usually unnoticed. Using specific stylistic devices to eliminate horizon and sky, wolf creates a. Michael wolf won first prize in the world press photo competition in 2005 and 2010 and received an honourable mention in 2011. The photographer michael wolf s study of hong kong, the architecture of density, began with the sars outbreak in 2002. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Wolf won first prize in the contemporary issues category of the 2004 world press photo competition for his photographs of workers in several types of factories for an article in stern. This book is the republished version of hong kong outside, which. Presented as large scale, abstracted vistas of hong kongs highrise apartment buildings, wolf s images show the effects of rapid development and complex social dynamics in one of the worlds most densely populated cities. Michael wolf observed and depicted hong kongs architecture with his lens, to showcase peoples daily life and to document things vanishing in development.
Wolf desorients the viewer by excluding sky and horizon from the frame, creating the illusion that the highrises extend indefinitely. My only wish is that the book was larger as these photos deserve to be blown up as large as possible to see the incredible detail in them. In architecture of density, photographer michael wolf captures stunning urban vistas of one of the most populated cities on earth. Below are a selection of wolf s photos of his home, hong kong. Apr 25, 20 in architecture of density, photographer michael wolf captures stunning urban vistas of one of the most populated cities on earth.
As many people became sick and others left the city, it dawned on wolf. Michael wolf architecture of density michael wolf michael wolf s photography is that of an outsider. For the book architecture of density, michael wolf fashioned a distinctive style of photography. In his architecture of density photo series, german photographer michael wolf explores the jawdropping urban landscapes of hong kong.
Stunning and sobering, the photographs of highrise apartment buildings in hong kong by german photographer michael wolf reveal his personal fascination with life in megacities. Michael wolf has 73 books on goodreads with 1096 ratings. Farewell to michael wolf, photographer of urban densities. Conscientious extended a conversation with michael wolf. In his another book informal solutions, you can find wolf s circumspective observations of hong kongs back alleys. Now architecture of density comes in a new edition as a stand alone book. Architecture of density the outside volume of hong kong insideoutside hardcover december 17, 2014 by michael wolf author visit amazons michael wolf page. Depicting the dense urban structure of hong kong, michael wolf s photographs first emerged in the 1990s wolf went to live in 1994 the photographs depict the vibrant city of hong kong from an inimitable perspective and the architecture of density series veers between the inhuman size and monolithic repetition of the citys housing units complexes and the intimate details of the lives lived. It is published by pepperoni books and features 128 pages of incredible imagery. Wolf would head to one of the many hills in the city or sometimes just go upstairs in an adjacent building and set up his camera. Architecture of densitymichael wolf inhabitat green. Architecture of density is the photographers examination of the city and its buildings, one in which the context is largely removed and the scale is only understandable when viewed in relation to itself. In a city where the only way to build is up, michael wolf depicts the immensity of hong kongs architecture.
Architecture of density the outside volume of hong kong insideoutside michael wolf on. Architecture of density by michael wolf more with less. Michael wolf explains the vision behind his hong kong photo series. His series architecture of density rarely contain images of people, instead letting the extreme scale of the buildings remain as the focus. Farewell to michael wolf, photographer of urban densities and. With his series architecture of density internationally renowned documentary photographer michael wolf creates an abstraction of the architecture of metropolis hongkong. You have an editor, i had an art director, there are certain. Michael wolfs work first caught my attention when i discovered his real toy story project a depiction of under which conditions the toys found in western toy stores are assembled. Photographer michael wolf, whose images celebrated life in hong kong. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. His most renowned work is a photo collection called architecture of density, a perception of the uncontrolled urbanistic growth in hong kong. Wolf s project architecture of density features mesmerizing, abstract photos of hong kong apartment buildings images that highlight.