The Opening-up of Art!

In this comprehensively illustrated monograph, Marietta Franke meticulously describes the artistic processes of opening over the past thirty years in the work of Stephan Reusse. She links up the individual, at first glance seemingly ­totally different photographic work groups such as artist portraits, animal photographs, piss-pictures and thermographs with neon pieces and laser sculptures. Thus the writer impressively traces how the artist has distanced himself from the unique character of the photographic works in order to approach the direct deployment of a medium. In order that these artworks »are immediate«, such as the light drawings and laser pieces, a massive step was needed to shift from the »authentic image« to »authentic movement« coupled with all the difficulties, such as the awkwardness of simulating the body even in simple terms. This book impressively documents how this has been achieved, but the fact that it has been achieved is ­demonstrated not only by parti­cipation in worldwide exhibitions, but also the constantly burgeoning interest in the early photographic works. A decisive factor here would seem to be that not only does Stephan Reusse’s oeuvre ­continually reveal references to the work of other artists, but more ­importantly, through his preoccupation with the teacher Harry Kramer and forerunners such as ­Joseph Beuys or Paul Thek, he has adapted their artistic way of ­thinking that endeavours to keep the eye trained upon the human element.