Barbara Probst is a German artist working between New York and Munich
Episode 216: Barbara Probst and I sat down to speak about her new book Streets, Fashion, Nudes, Still Lifes published this year by Hartmann Books. Markus Hartmann was kind enough to make our introduction.
I was a little bit familiar with Barbara’s work before Hartmann sent the book over with a few others from their current catalog (which is exceptional) and was immediately floored by Barbara’s use of the camera. Her multi-POV images make for sometimes uncomfortable readings. It gives one the impression of being surveilled even as a reader of the work. Her street work in New York during the pandemic is particularly resultful for this effect.
Throughout the episode, we speak about Barabara’s work and her background, which is quite intriguing. She spent time with Bernd Becher at the Dusseldorf School of Photography and her practice is born from an application to the fine arts outside of photography previous to that. We speak in-depth about her family life and notably her father’s sculpture studio. It was fascinating to hear about her life between Germany and America and how her ability to perform the genres of the medium between Still Life, Fashion, Nude, and Street makes for a very interesting and versatile reading of her work.
There was a particularly interesting moment when I asked Barbara whether she thought of work as feminist in nature. Her answer was great, mediated, and smart. I appreciated that moment very much and wanted to underscore it here as in its rationality, I found solace to the current moment. Please dig into this, Barbara and her work do not disappoint.
