Jenkins Johnson Gallery Shows Gerald Förster’s 'LightYears-Project'

Thursday, 19 October 2006 18:24

New York City - The LightYears project celebrates the beauty of difference and emphasizes a communality of wisdom, dignity, integrity and strength of character shared by all humans.  By delivering layers of natural light to a point of focus deep in the eyes of his subjects, Gerald Förster is able to communicate the subtleties of expression and the depth of human character of individuals illuminated and removed from the emblematic geography of culture.  The portraits describe the humanistic side of a life-changing journey.  They record the experience of spontaneous awakenings and self-discovery in the presence of remarkable people.

Inspired by his deep fascination with human diversity, cultural integrity, and individual strength of character, Förster began shooting the LightYears project in 1994 as an experiment in what he calls, “photo-poetic portraiture”.  That initial experiment marked the beginning of the decade long collaboration between Förster and writer Anthony Smith.  Seeking out remote locations and peoples, the journey took them to six continents and eighteen countries.  Smith has so far published a dozen stories based on the journeys, which are often paired with the portraits photographed by Förster.

Set against solid black or white backdrops, the subjects come to life before you through dress, body art, expression, and gesture.  Whether it is a mourning woman in Papua New Guinea adorned with hundreds of necklaces and her face caked in mud or a geisha in full dress, these are still images of histories written and oral, familiar and obscure.  By capturing them, Förster brings awareness to viewers who may never been exposed to the curiosities of these cultures.  He expanded upon his portrait sessions by simultaneously videotaping the subjects.  In contrast to the stark black and white stills, the videos are in color which imbues subjects with vibrancy, personality, and momentum.  The videos can be frenetic when a mob of schoolchildren runs to and fro or boxers spar; but, they can also be quiet in an eerie and familiar manner when people attempt to hold their positions for the camera that is out of frame.  Presented in small format boxes, Förster’s videos offer an even more accessible venue to connect viewer and subject.