It seems as if there is a constant factor amidst the diversity of our dreams: The longing for a heavenly life, the hope for permanent feeling of happiness. Since time immemorial, this long awaited, beautiful earthly paradise has been distant. But, in reality, are all the places equally distant from paradise? Are some places not closer? Maybe even enticingly close?

To explore these questions, the photographer Robert Rutöd went into the burlesque realm of trade fairs and exhibition areas. An almost ten-year expedition through materialized world of dreams is now visually retold in Fair(y) Tales.

“I feel just like Alice in Wonderland as I walk from the taster massage to a certified sleep consultant, from the undertakers‘ fashion show to the wine tasting, from the Garden of Earthly Delights to the Jacob‘s Ladders in the garden festival. In the turmoil between the horns of award-winning cattle champions, waiting their turn for the photo shoot of the breeding catalog, it can sometimes get a little queasy. But as the saying goes: They all lived happily until their deaths.”

“From funerals to erotica, every industry has its own trade show. Robert Rutöd has spent 10 years documenting the unconventional side of conventions, honing in on magic moments that would
otherwise go unnoticed” (Huck Magazine, UK)

“Instant poetry: photographer Robert Rutöd pays tribute to the courageous heroes who animate the exhibition parks, from the funeral parades to the BDSM performances at the erotic salon.” 
(Brain Magazine, France)

Robert Rutöd was born 1959 in Vienna, Austria. Early pursuit of painting; from 1978 on photography. Works from these years later appeared with some of his absurd texts in the book grayscales. early b&w photographs 1978-1988.

Between 1979 and 1993, Robert Rutöd wrote screenplays and directed short films. In the mid-90s, he increasingly devoted himself to the design of books and applications for digital media. In 2004 he returned to photography; since 2009, he presents these images to a wider  audience.
In his projects, Robert Rutöd investigates the paradox Human with its sometimes tragicomic aspects. In 2009 the photo book Less Is More resulted from that and three years later, the series Right Time Right Place has been finished. For this he received several awards including the New York Photo Award 2012, the Special Prize of the Czech Center of Photography, and most recently Artist of the Year at Dong Gang International Photo Festival in South Korea. In 2017 he completed his series Fair(y) Tales, retelling an almost ten-year expedition through the burlesque realm of trade fairs and exhibition areas

Rutöd’s photographs have been shown worldwide at numerous exhibitions and festivals; his work has been widely published in magazines and on blogs.
Robert Rutöd lives and works in Vienna.

Upcoming exhibtion:

Italian Street Photo Festival, three days entirely dedicated to street photography, seminars, workshops,portfolio reviews and exhibitions with the aim of promoting and supporting
contemporary street. Robert Rutöd’s work is part of the festival, which takes
place from April 26 to 28, 2019 in Rome, with a single image, titled Woman with Red Dress.

More info about this project on Rutöd’s website.