Rafael Neff - Pictures, Art, Photography

Rafael Neff

Rafael Neff About the Work Movement Rafael Neff transforms his fascination with the refinement and precision of clockwork into a new artistic experience. In his “Movement” series, he showcases the inner workings of exquisite wristwatches through strikingly detailed photographs and, by fragmenting and re-locating the individual elements,… Read more

Intro Bio Exhibitions Video

Benediktinerstift Admont by Rafael Neff

Benediktinerstift Admont

from $ 599 to $ 4,390

Stift Melk by Rafael Neff

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Rijksmuseum Library Amsterdam by Rafael Neff

Rijksmuseum Library Amsterdam

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Augustiner Chorherrenstift St. Florian by Rafael Neff

Augustiner Chorherrenstift St. Florian

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Nationalbibliothek Wien by Rafael Neff

Nationalbibliothek Wien

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Benediktinerabtei Wiblingen by Rafael Neff

Benediktinerabtei Wiblingen

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Benediktinerabtei Metten by Rafael Neff

Benediktinerabtei Metten

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Benediktinerabtei Ottobeuren by Rafael Neff

Benediktinerabtei Ottobeuren

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Nationalbibliothek Prag by Rafael Neff

Nationalbibliothek Prag

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Stiftsbibliothek St. Gallen by Rafael Neff

Stiftsbibliothek St. Gallen

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

New York Public Library by Rafael Neff

New York Public Library

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

FNG22 by Rafael Neff

from $ 599 to $ 1,399

LOU2 by Rafael Neff

from $ 799 to $ 2,190

LAO 10 by Rafael Neff

from $ 1,499 to $ 2,490

NFL88 by Rafael Neff

$ 7,390

FNG15 by Rafael Neff

from $ 699 to $ 1,299

SWI 33 by Rafael Neff

from $ 1,199 to $ 2,290

SPK 500 by Rafael Neff

from $ 1,049 to $ 2,590

AFL 1000 by Rafael Neff

from $ 1,049 to $ 2,490

NFL90 by Rafael Neff

from $ 1,049 to $ 2,590

Double Split (A. Lange & Söhne) by Rafael Neff

Double Split (A. Lange & Söhne)

$ 2,390

Grande Complication Squelette (Audemars Piguet) by Rafael Neff

Grande Complication Squelette (Audemars Piguet)

$ 2,390

Markgräfliches Opernhaus Bayreuth by Rafael Neff

Markgräfliches Opernhaus Bayreuth

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Komische Oper Berlin by Rafael Neff

Komische Oper Berlin

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Semperoper Dresden by Rafael Neff

Semperoper Dresden

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées Paris by Rafael Neff

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées Paris

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Metropolitan Opera New York City by Rafael Neff

Metropolitan Opera New York City

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Opernhaus Zürich by Rafael Neff

Opernhaus Zürich

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Theater in der Josefstadt Wien by Rafael Neff

Theater in der Josefstadt Wien

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Teatro di San Carlo Napoli by Rafael Neff

Teatro di San Carlo Napoli

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Volkstheater Wien by Rafael Neff

Volkstheater Wien

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Bayerische Staatsoper by Rafael Neff

Bayerische Staatsoper

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Gran Teatro La Fenice di Venezia by Rafael Neff

Gran Teatro La Fenice di Venezia

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Staatstheater Wiesbaden by Rafael Neff

Staatstheater Wiesbaden

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

La Scala, Milan, Italy by Rafael Neff

La Scala, Milan, Italy

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Burgtheater Wien by Rafael Neff

Burgtheater Wien

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Staatsoper Wien by Rafael Neff

Staatsoper Wien

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Teatro Bibiena by Rafael Neff

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Royal Opera House London by Rafael Neff

Royal Opera House London

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin by Rafael Neff

Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Mariinski Theater by Rafael Neff

Mariinski Theater

from $ 599 to $ 7,490

Chateau Margaux, Bordeaux, France by Rafael Neff

Chateau Margaux, Bordeaux, France

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Bordeaux, France by Rafael Neff

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Bordeaux, France

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Ovid, Napa Valley, USA by Rafael Neff

Ovid, Napa Valley, USA

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Bordeaux, France by Rafael Neff

Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Bordeaux, France

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Chateau d`Yquem, Bordeaux, France by Rafael Neff

Chateau d`Yquem, Bordeaux, France

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Distillerie Berta, Piemont, Italy by Rafael Neff

Distillerie Berta, Piemont, Italy

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Marcesi Antinori, Tuscany, Italy by Rafael Neff

Marcesi Antinori, Tuscany, Italy

$ 599

Chateau Cheval Blanc, Bordeaux, France by Rafael Neff

Chateau Cheval Blanc, Bordeaux, France

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

Sassicaia, Bolgheri, Italy by Rafael Neff

Sassicaia, Bolgheri, Italy

from $ 599 to $ 2,790

ARTIST BOOK - Rafael Neff by Rafael Neff

ARTIST BOOK - Rafael Neff

$ 39

S.T. 550 by Rafael Neff

$ 159

Background Information about Rafael Neff

Introduction

About the Work

Movement

Rafael Neff transforms his fascination with the refinement and precision of clockwork into a new artistic experience. In his “Movement” series, he showcases the inner workings of exquisite wristwatches through strikingly detailed photographs and, by fragmenting and re-locating the individual elements, conveys a new perspective on a special asset of European cultural history. Through a wooden frame, the artist creates tension between the mechanical dynamics of the clocks and the calm harmony inherent in wood. Neff allows the viewer to dive into the depths of the movement and makes tangible the high level of craftsmanship behind it.

Watchmakers are highly respected in Europe as well as far beyond the continent's borders. Swiss watchmakers, in particular, are known for their detailed work and the reliability of their products. Swiss movement can be relied upon, and this is known today all over the world. In his work, Rafael Neff uses very special pieces that originate from manufactories that pride themselves on a long history of innovation and exceptional design. Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875 in a small town in the Swiss Jura and is one of the most prestigious brands in the world today. The same applies to the traditional house A. Lange & Söhne from Glashütte, Saxony, which was founded in 1845.

Beach

Dabs of colour breathe life into the nearly deserted beach. The light is perfect, the setting impressive. Rafael Neff’s beach photographs feel like the faded memories of distant childhood vacations. The summer guests have long since gone off to other amusements. All that remains is the furniture, old-fashioned and simultaneously timeless.

Before the first vacationers return to utilize them for the mundane purpose of protection from the sun, the roofed beach chairs create their own game of light and colour. It is fragmented and somewhat abstract, as though they are trying to strike up a dialog with the cloudless blue sky, to which the photographer allots an equal amount of space. Rafael Neff’s photographs are atmospheric in the best way. He takes diverse approaches to the subject, bringing his pictures to life with the contrast between focus and blur, closeness and distance, and shallowness and depth.

Operas

Rafael Neff has been photographing opera houses and theatres all over the world since 2007. Fascinated, we lose ourselves in a wealth of opulent, baroque ornamentation. Warm colours dominate. The rooms feel almost like cathedrals. One immediately gets a sense of the great dramas that unfold beneath these great domes.

Whether it’s La Scala in Milan, The Royal Opera House in London, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, or the Zurich Opera House, the glorious buildings regale us with tales of great divas and minor scandals, of applause and excitement, and of great productions and bold experiments. Neff manages to capture the magic spell the stages cast over the actors and audiences. In his photographs, architectural aesthetics from bygone eras meet our expectations and demands in the here and now.

Libraries

Regardless of whether we are religious or not, rooms that feel so sacred are a joy to behold for every free spirit and aesthete, because they go beyond the individual. These are places where many centuries of the spiritual world have been collected, much more than a single person can gather. Rafael Neff depicts the “temples” of world literature.

The contrast between the libraries could not be greater. The hall in the Benedictine Abbey Admont presents itself with baroque pomp, whereas a more sober atmosphere rules over the Parisian Sainte-Geneviève Library. Neff shows us new perspectives, capturing the aesthetics of different centuries and delivering breathtaking insights. The depth of field makes them feel detailed and clear, but never “merely” documentary in nature.

Wine Cellar

Rafael Neff lets our gaze wander through the world’s most famous wine cellars. His photographic pursuit of all things exquisite is honoured in these warm aging cellars from renowned vineyards with long traditions. Barrels of fine wines tell of full harvests, precise pressing, and prudent storage. Neff manages to capture the excitement that builds up here over a span of decades.

Whether or not a Chateau Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classe lives up to its potential can only be known after it has been aged for more than a decade. With Neff’s pictures, you do not have to be an expert sommelier to recognise the care and attention that a winery like Lafite-Rothschild grants its vines. The soothing symmetry and reserved light are not all that’s pleasant to look at; the deeper you gaze into the depths, the more overpowering the vaults and the more inexhaustible the wine reserves appear.

About the Artist

Rafael Neff’s unique take on settings and architecture has been turning heads since 2001. His Strandkörbe series has become a constant in his otherwise very diverse body of work. He has won several awards, including the “red dot design award” and the Kodak Photo Award, and has even been nominated for the Design Award of the German Republic.

The son of a pastor, Rafael Neff was born in Freienseen, Germany in 1969. He and his seven siblings grew up in the nation’s south. He studied photography in Mainz, Prague, and New York.
Rafael Neff has been commissioned to and completed successful, award-winning photo series and productions worldwide since 2002. These include works for BBS AG, Audi AG, VW, Automechanika, Sherwin-Williams, dm Markt, the Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co KG, the Messe Frankfurt, IHK Frankfurt, the Heidelberger Druchmaschinen AG, the FAZ, the New York Times, and many more.
Technique

What sets Rafael Neff’s work apart is his precise vision and technical ability. In his photographs, he enters the depths and reveals a new, detailed perspective to the viewer. By doing this, he brings subtleties to light that might have otherwise escaped us. Beach chairs are made to seem like sculptures, libraries like cathedrals, and wine cellars like holy halls.

Neff recognizes the beauty of objects and captures that through his lens. In his work, most of which contains no people, a dense atmosphere prevails. In large formats, the photographer’s precision and the images’ abundant details become visible.

Bio


1969	Born in Freienseen
1995-1996	Worked in an advertising agency
	First photographic works
	Received a state-funded photography stipend
1996 -2001	Entered the Fachhochschule Mainz, studying Communication Design with a focus on Photography
	Academic exchange in Prague and New York
	Became a protege of Kevin Clarke - New York City
2001	Received diploma in Photography at the FH Mainz
	Premiered “emotionalen Garten”
	Began his “Strandkörbe” project
2002	Brought his “Strandkorb” project to New York
2003	Brought his “Strandkorb” project along the entire coastline of the North Sea
2004	Founded Neff Fotodesign
	Brought his “Strandkorb” project along the entire coastline of the Baltic Sea
2005	Brought “Strandkorb” project along the Polish coast all the way to the Curonian Spit
	Completed book production at Neff Fotodesign
2006	Signed a photography contract with John Deere
	Completed an artistic work for the Franz Schneider Brakel GmbH
	Brought “Strandkorb”project to the Italian coastline and islands of Denmark
2007	Began lectureship for photography at the School of Design at the Hochschule in Pforzheim
2008	Founded a new studio with showrooms in Oberursel
	Began exhibition of the largest collection of libraries and theatres worldwide - ongoing
2009	Began art series about the most valuable books in the world
	Partook in exhibitions in New York, Paris, Milan, and Berlin
2010	Began art series on complex clockworks
	Partook in exhibitions in New York, Paris, Munich, Berlin, and Düsseldorf
2011	Began art series "the most important Wine cellars in the world"
	With productions in California, France, Switzerland, Itlay, and Germany
2012	Started largest portrait series about ballet director Uwe Scholz
	Continued the Opera series with 13 new Operas
	Began new Beach House series
2013	Solo exhibitions in Hong Kong, China, Salzburg, and Austria
	Solo exhibition in Salzburg, Austria
	Gruppenausstellung in Heidelberg, Deutschland
	Solo Exhibition and remodelling of the Villa Merton (Union International Club) in Frankfurt, Germany
2017	World tour to photograph the world’s best workshops for the Hella GmbH & Co KGaA campaign
2018	Continuation of “Opera” project at new sites in St. Petersburg, Sydney, and Paris Continuation of “Libraries" project at the Abbey of St. Gall Library in Saint Gallen, Switzerland
	He lives and works in Frankfurt, Germany

Awards

2019	Gregor Kalender Award
2013	DesignPlus Award
2012	Bronze International Kalender Award
2010	Gold International Kalender Award
2008	Red Dot Design Award
	Kodak Photo Award
	"Gregor" Honorary Award from the Jury
	Gold International Kalender Award
2007	Gold International Kalender Award
2005	Design Award of the state Rheinland-Pfalz

Collections

DZ-Bank, Frankfurt, Germany
Berenberg Bank, Berenberg, Germany

Sparkassenverband Rheinlandpfalz, Germany

LBBW, Stuttgart, Germany

Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt, Germany

Exhibitions

2013	LUMAS
1995-1996	work for an advertising agency
	first photography work
	publically supported photography grant
1996 -2001	major in photography

Solo Exhibitions


2013	LUMAS, Salzburg, Austria
	Villa Merton (Union international Club), Frankfurt, Germany
2012	LUMAS, Dusseldorf, Germany
	LUMAS, Hamburg, Germany
	LUMAS, Berlin, Germany
2011	LUMAS, Vienna, Austria

Group Exhibitions

2013	LUMAS, Heidelberg Art Bodensee
2010	Viennafair
2009	Art Moskau
2008	AAF, New York Maison et Objets, Paris IMM Cologne Interior Lifestyle, Tokio Paris Photo, Paris ICFF, New York
2007	Kunst Zürich TIAF, Toronto Tendence Lifestyle, Frankfurt AAF, New York ICFF, New York Art Moscow Art Melbourne Maison & Objets, Paris IMM Cologne art cologne
2006	Art Fair Köln Kunst Zürich Blickfang, Wien

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