Capturing Absences

As a part of International Photography Festival, Goethe Zentrum presents a photography exhibition ‘Absences’ by Sabine Hartert. The exhibition is about the absences, which have many aspects, the absence of direct communication. She is showcasing a total of 20 pictures in the exhibition.

Sabine informed that her first tryst with the camera started when she was eight years old. Along with all other subjects at the University of Bonn, Germany, she attended photo classes and took private lessons with the renowned German press photographer Camillo Fischer in Bonn.

“When I was a child my parents, especially my father, used to take photos, and that created an interest for me in photography. On my eighth birthday, my dad gifted me a camera and that made me decide to pick this subject now.”

Speaking of her photographs, she said, “It was always a part of me. Though I didn’t study photography, I used to work in the darkroom. I had the chance to meet many renowned photojournalists, who were around very often.

I used to meet them in many events. One day Camillo finally asked me some questions and told me to show him my photos. He was satisfied with my photographs and after that, he gave me private lessons and explained some subsidence ideas in deep.”

Explaining about her work ‘Absences’, Sabine said, “I think these days many people are absent and they are occupied with their mobile phones, etc. So I started thinking about this topic and thought about it that “absences” have many aspects. We always consider filling it with mobile, etc. In my pictures, human aspects are always there.”

Sharing about her favourite picture, she says, “‘Silver dream’ is my favourite photograph. For this picture, I entered the shop and I saw nobody, however, after some time I noticed a guy behind the glass wall. So anyone can discover something from my photos.

I don’t want to take photos when people are around and I often take behind the scenes. And try to find all thoughts behind it, sometimes I go around the buildings and see really good structures and figures.”

About her works she says, “The photographic series traces different forms of absences, and it doesn't matter if this happens in Germany, Europe, India or elsewhere. The varieties of absences are more or less the same everywhere, and most probably we all feel the same about it.”

By Heena Mishra