Wolfgang Tillmans is the subject of NOWNESS’s latest Photographers in Focus series. The legendary photographer sat down with the publication during his vocal debut at the Berlin Atonal Festival this past August to discuss his extensive creative portfolio, the ethos of artwork, and his foray into music. Collectively, photography and music have always been interconnected for Tillmans.
For the festival, Tillmans teamed up with XL and Diagonal artist Oscar Powell to create an immersive music experience that NOWNESS described as “a performance of ritual system music.” The photographer added that “this collaboration experience was fantastic and all about liberation. It’s important that in serious times, you don’t clip your wings and be safe. It’s important to keep on dancing.” In regards to capturing photos, Tillmans professed “I never felt like I’m behind the camera, but It became a fluid way of expression. I was able to enact things in front of the camera. So, it is a performed reality.”
The German artist currently has an exhibition titled “Between 1943 and 1973 Lay 30 Years. 30 Years After 1973 was the Year 2003” at the Kunstverein gallery in Hamburg. The extensive presentation features a slew of never-before-seen photography alongside sound and video installations.