Hanus, Dirk

Dirk Hanus, Chemnitz, Germany

Born 1962 in Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Vocational training with high school diploma
1984 - 89 Studies at TU Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz)
- During the study time intensive autodidactic occupation with artistic photography
- first photo projects and exhibitions
- since 1990 photography as center of life
- artistic works and numerous photo exhibitions

Series among others:
Series "Nocurno in C." (Chemnitz pictures 1994)
Series "Metamorphosen" (observations in industrial wastelands)
Series "LichtGestalten" (experimental b/w portrait photography)
Series "Inner Spaces" (staged photography with people in rooms)

- Photography for publishing houses and advertising

Extensive book projects, e.g.:
2011: illustrated book "Chemnitz
2013: illustrated book "Der Chemnitzer Kaßberg".

Innerspaces

The overflow of pictures belongs to our every-day life now. An answer to this is the loss of time. Whenever humans behold, they do it only briefly.

For that reason, the message should be quickly decipherable. This is where the pictures of Dirk Hanus initiate. Being perfect in the way of handicraft, they remind us of the smooth aesthetics of the advertisements from the time we live in. We all know the institutions and we are supposed to know the people, as well.
However, right in the moment when our eye actually wants to move further, the barbs of this series grip. The light is illogical. Often routed in an unclear manner. Blurrings, dark areas, open doors, odd closets. Bloomings. These irritations can be recognized in the centre of every picture in the series. The person stands, lies, cowers in the centre. For the most part in plenty of odd postures. Always alone, captured (lost?) - in a situation, which does not open up at first glance. Maybe not even at the second or third one.

Maybe never. What happens outside of our focus, what is beyond the frame of the image? We do not know, but we want to. And yet we are captured in the surreal staging of Inner Spaces.

Collections

Moritzburg Foundation (Art Museum of the State of Saxony-Anhalt)
Westerheide Collection, Ranis

Books

2004 LightShapes
2005 Dirk Hanus - photography
2010 Dirk Hanus - inner spaces 
2011 illustrated book "Chemnitz
2013 illustrated book "Kaßberg