Eva Bachmann

Uncertain States Annual 2015: Cosmic Dance

Eva Bachmann

private view: 04 November  6.30-8.30 PM
exhibition continues: 05 - 21 November 2015                                   

Cosmic Dance from River Lea series, Fuji Chrome aluminium mounted   60x40 cm, limited edition 1/7

Cosmic Dance is a poetic interpretation of the River Lea’s waste. These images of the contaminated River seem to mirror the otherworldly qualities of interstellar particles gracefully floating in the galactic void. My intent is to bewilder the viewer, engendering a sense of disbelief and hence unsettle our accepted sense of reality. With my work I aim to alter our view of the ordinary by emphasizing its creative essence, adding a new visual experience by shifting our awareness so that we look at what often goes unnoticed.
I was interested to present the series in a relevant context. Here, Mile End Pavilion’s location adjacent to Regents Canal lends itself as a highly appropriate venue for showcasing the dreamy qualities of urban nature.                                                              

"Uncertain States is an artist-led project that publishes and distributes a free quarterly broadsheet newspaper showing lens-based-art. We also hold monthly talks that focus on contemporary photography; we organise and curate an annual exhibition to showcase our contributor's work. Formed in 2009 by Fiona Yaron-Field, David George and Spencer Rowell, the group has grown over the past five years from a small core to a loose confederacy of over 100 writers, artists and academics who share the same ethos: that is, to create a platform for work that reflects some key social and political concerns and challenges how perceptions are formed in society, whilst at the same time nurture a growing community of independent artists who seek alternative outlets for their artistic practice."       
Uncertain States                                          

neo:artprize: Unfinished Business

Eva Bachmann

Palmerston Road, from the series Unfinished Business 2014
giclee print

"neo:artprize is an international biennial.                                             Achieving critical acclaim in its inaugural year and now in its third, the competition offers a prestigious showcase for contemporary visual artists working in any media alongside an impressive list of sponsored prizes and the opportunity to be considered for the 12-week neo:residency supported by University of Bolton, GreatArt and neo: An independent panel of prominent curators and artists juries the competition ensuring high standards are maintained."
neo:artists

flip: Neighbourhood - Mission Grove

Eva Bachmann

Mission Grove E17 IV

Mission Grove E17 II

Seemingly insignificant, yet peculiar in appearance, these facades of London’s residential neighbourhood have sparked my sense of wonder. Windowless, with protruding gables, they looked surreal and displaced, as if left over from a dystopian science-fiction novel.  In this series, I aim to shift the view of the ordinary by exemplifying its creative essence, adding a new visual experience.                        

My images are built on multi-layered meanings: There is a common thread of documenting, collecting and classifying urban structures which run through my work. Like an urban anthropologist, I de-code the language of mundane spaces, tracing cultural and historical references through layers of time. Architecture is my source of inspiration through which to convey these lines of thought. Another angle to my work is to investigate creative elements found in anonymous architecture. Parallel to these concepts, I use photography to explore uncanny interactions of light and shade that add layers of distortion and challenge our view of an ordinary environment. The intent is to bewilder the viewer, engendering a sense of disbelief in order to unsettle our accepted sense of reality.

In keeping with Bernd & Hilla Bechers’ methodical approach, whose work has deeply rooted my formal language,  I developed a systematic way of collecting, cataloguing and documenting architectural elements. I am interested in challenging the conventional understanding of architecture by adding another meaning to it. My intent is similar to Bechers’, where the topological and architectural documentation became merely a side effect, complementing their main inspiration. Captivated by what they called the ‘accidental beauty’ of industrial buildings, they referred to architecture as ‘Anonymous Sculptures’.                                  

Following the concept of serial representation through a repetitious framework, the facades appear to be removed from their usual context and take on a new layer of meaning.                                       Hence the ongoing series Reliefs is a visual inquiry into the unnoticed architectural elements found in residential areas. The intent is to shift our awareness, noticing what often goes unnoticed.  I am investigating visual realms of accidental creativity done unintentionally. Devoid of people, these images serve as a testament to creative processes done by unsung workers. Here, anonymous streets transcend into formal abstraction.

flip - London Independent Photography magazine

filip neighbourhoods 2015

Photofusion: NCM Exposed - Unfinished Business

Eva Bachmann

Palmerston Road E17, from the series UnfinisheBusiness, c-print aluminium mounted, 60x40 cm, limited edition 1/7

"This exhibition marks the final stage of New Creative Markets, a three-year professional development programme for early to mid-career artists. Photofusion’s partnership in the consortium with Space, Four Corners and Cockpit Arts, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, enabled us to provide much-needed professional creative support tailored to different photographic genres and needs.                                                           NCM Exposed features over 100 photographers who participated in the programme, each photographer selecting one image representative of a captivating story, concept or visual style. The result is a lively and dynamic salon-style exhibition, showing the diversity of photographic image-making created by London-based photographers. 
New Creative Markets evolved out of the need expressed by artists for support in understanding the business basics of being a professional sole trader, alongside guidance on project development, fundraising, marketing, creating national and international networks, gaining commissions and sales."
Photofusion

Photofusion: Salon 2014 - Railway Arches

Eva Bachmann

Andre St E8 from the series Railway Arches, 2014
C-print aluminium mounted / 42 x 60 cm

Tucked away behind the busy streets of Hackney I stumbled upon Andre Street, a small passage lined with railway arches. The signage and the textured layers of paint revealed what was happening behind closed doors - most of the arches had been converted into car mechanics workshops. In their unpretentious appearance, they seemed timeless, as if one had entered a time warp, an unchanging neighbourhood.

The series stands as a social comment depicting the survival of a long-standing community of small businesses amidst Hackney’s drastic transformation.

Devoid of people, these images serve as a testament to creative acts done by unsung workers. Here, an anonymous street transcends into formal abstractions. 

Photofusion Salon 2014

Cities Methodologies 2014: Buildings On Fire

Eva Bachmann

Tracing Memories 2014
photo-montage, charcoal, chalk and pen drawing
20 x 30 cm

Tracing Memories is a visual exploration of the Kings Cross Fire in 1987 and its direct implications for the architectural changes made after the disaster.
The eerie impressions of the aftermath drawn with charcoal create a literal link with the burnt wood. The dark images of the fire are contrasted by the transparent, austere-looking interiors of the rebuilt underground. Like layers of time, where memory tends to blur between now and then, the multi-layered images fade in and out.

Part of UCL's  Urban Lab: Cities Methodologies 2014: Buildings on Fire: Towards a new approach to urban memory
curated by Stamatis Zografos and Elena Papadaki