Introduction
Lost Places
Works by artistic duo Anna and Roman Küffner pull viewers through a time-warp to bygone eras. Alongside the photographers, we discover abandoned estates and castles, accompanying them down broad corridors and through grandiose halls.
In their ongoing search for morbid beauty, the artists have dedicated themselves to buildings that are no longer in use., These trips through time have become part of everyday life for the two artists, and they are not alone in their passion for seeking out abandoned swimming pools, theatres, and cinemas around the world: There is an entire ‘urban exploration’ movement dedicated to entering and exploring disused locations, often illegally. Yet Roman and Anna occupy a unique position within their genre. It is not just their approach that is different – they only enter their “Lost Places” with the permission of the owners – but also their artistic style. In their authentic works, the duo succeed in capturing and reproducing the splendour and unique atmosphere of the past. While symmetry and lighting play a key role in their images, the sharp aesthetic is suggestive of three-dimensional, virtual spaces.
Many of the works originated in Europe, often from locations in Germany, the Czech Republic, and France. Discovering such forgotten worlds, which seem to emerge from nowhere, is the highlight of the artists’ work. At first glance, we don’t appreciate the immense effort that goes into planning their shots. As Roman explains, “The hunt for these images is like detective work.”
“Lost places” is a fascinating, revealing look back in time. Modern adventurers, Anna and Roman Küffner reveal the beauty that lies hidden beneath decay.
Hannah Hör
Bio
Anna Küffner
| 1982 | born in Neuwied, Germany |
| Studied Technical Journalism at Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences |
| 2012 | Founded the Blackbird Street Project |
| Lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany |
Roman Küffner
| 1982 | born in Leverkusen, Germany |
| Studied Media and Cultural Sciences at the University of Düsseldorf |
| 2012 | Founded the Blackbird Street Project |
| Lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany |
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
| 2014 | Nacht der Museen 2014, BOUI BOUI BILK., Düsseldorf, Germany |
| 2014 | 5. Mülheimer Nacht, Kunstwerk, Cologne, Germany |
| 2013 | Die Ästhetik der Abwesenheit, Walterscheid, Sinzig, Germany |
| 2013 | Ausgeflogen, Westflügel, Cologne, Germany |
| 2013 | Verlassene Orte, Kulturbahnhof Eller, Düsseldorf, Germany |
| 2013 | Kunstpunkte 2013, BOUI BOUI BILK., Düsseldorf, Germany |
| 2013 | urbEXPO 2013, Rotunde, Bochum, Germany |
| 2013 | Parallelwelten, RAUM – ganz schön kalk, Cologne, Germany |
| 2013 | Blackbird Street, Dünnwalder Frühling, Cologne, Germany |
| 2013 | Nacht der Museen 2013, BOUI BOUI BILK., Düsseldorf, Germany |
| 2012 | urbEXPO 2012, Rotunde, Bochum, Germany |
| 2012 | Sommerblut Kulturfestival 2012, Bürgerhaus Stollwerck, Cologne, Germany |
