Thomas Seelig is the Head Curator of Photography at Museum Folkwang, Essen.
Episode 183: Thomas Seelig joined me to speak on the work of Timm Rautert who has a retrospective exhibition at Museum Folkwang, Essen where Thomas is the head of photography.
“Timm Rautert and the Lives of Photography”, Installation view, Museum Folkwang, Photo: Jens Nober
The exhibition is entitled Timm Rautert and the Lives of Photography. Steidl has published a brilliant catalog for the exhibition. The exhibition holds a number of bodies of work from Timm’s incredible career. Though not unknown to the larger international photography community, Timm’s work deserves a much larger audience. The work is critical, conceptual, and also deals with a number of sociological issues from labor to marginalized communities such as the Amish in America. Timm has also been an influential educator in Leipzig.
“Timm Rautert and the Lives of Photography”, Installation view, Museum Folkwang, Photo: Jens Nober
Perhaps best known for his early body of work Bildanalytische Photographie, Timm’s career is much wider as are his concern surrounding photography. Thomas and I spoke about Timm’s career point by point. This is our second discussion about curatorial work and I am always taken aback by his generosity and passionate eye for the medium. Going over Timm’s work was a huge pleasure. I also have to say that Steidl is doing an incredible job publishing Rautert’s seminal bodies of works. In this particular catalog, there are a number of great essays on Rautert’s work by Thomas Seelig, Steffen Siegel, Please tune into this. It is filled with great words and wisdom on photography by Thomas.
“Timm Rautert and the Lives of Photography”, Installation view, Museum Folkwang, Photo: Jens Nober
At present, there is a lockdown in Essen. You will want to check-in before going to the exhibition as it may be closed due to the pandemic. The exhibition will continue to the Bombas Gens Centre d’Art, València in 2023.
