Hot Shots : Birthe Piontek
Artist Statement
Similar to numerous other photographers my first take on photography was rather journalistic. Inspired by artists like Jeff Wall, Stephen Shore, Anna Gaskell and the work of David Lynch my pictures became increasingly staged over the last years.
In order to tell my stories, I frequently use a combination of portraits and stills, which currently constitute the lion's share of my work.
Two subjects have always been of great interest to me: innocence and adolescence—both of which playing major roles in my latest project Sub Rosa.
The intimate moments captured in Sub Rosa oppose the innocent vulnerability of youth to otherwise rather somber settings. We are confronted with introductions and conclusions of stories from a world we once were privy to—all the while hinting at secrets and revealing none.
Biography
Birthe Piontek was born and raised in Germany and studied Communication Design and Photography at the University of Essen where she received an M.A. in 2004.
During her time at University, she started working as a freelance photographer for various clients and magazines. To get the experience of living and working in another country she moved to Vancouver, BC in 2005.
Since then her work has been exhibited internationally, and featured in publications and magazines including The New York Times Magazine, The Globe and Mail, Stern and Die Zeit. Her work has been recognized a number of times, most recently by being honored with the Santa Fe Juror's Choice Award in 2007.