Photographic and video artist Gudrun Kemsa sees the world as a stage on which an infinite number of performances take place every day. In his work, he deals with the perception of time in an urban context. She photographs people in public spaces or assembles city travel film sequences in such a way that the city appears to be in motion. In this case, it is the glamorous metropolis of New York City that has attracted artists under her spell for generations and that Gudrun Kemsa has visited several times herself. She is particularly interested in the outward, “beautiful” appearance. All the works were made in full sun and the buildings form a splendid stage for the observed scenes, which nevertheless appear so orderly as if someone had directed the composition. This creates images of infinite beauty on the streets and squares of Manhattan. Gudrun Kemsa observes daily events that escape us due to lack of time or interest. In order to participate in their volatility, we need time. Time as an opponent to accelerate is the condition for Gudrun Kemsa’s art, which prompts us to stop and take a closer look. The exhibition was created in collaboration with the Lausberg Gallery, Düsseldorf, and will run until January 16, 2022, at Museum Moderner Kunst Wörlen of Passau.

In the most recent works of the photographer Gudrun Kemsa, all of New York becomes an enormous backdrop. From bustling everyday life in the big city, she highlights interpersonal scenes in which the anonymous protagonists take action amidst the urban architecture as if in a film: in a rush, waiting motionlessly in front of boutiques or at intersections. Kemsa’s photographic series make individual motion sequences visible. With the contrast between natural and artificial light, she models people and architecture in dramatic tableaus, impressive moments of stillness, or enraptured strangely timeless conditions. The project was published by Kerber in 2020.