Wolfgang Tillmans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wolfgang Tillmans
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Tillmans in 2013
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| Born | 16 August 1968 |
| Education | Bournemouth and Poole College of Art (Now AUB) |
| Known for | Photography |
| Awards | Turner Prize 2000 Culture Award 2018 |
Wolfgang Tillmans (born August 16, 1968) is a famous German photographer. He is known for his many different kinds of photos. He often takes pictures of the world around him and explores what photography can do.
Tillmans made history by being the first photographer and the first non-British person to win the important Turner Prize. His work has been shown in big art museums like the Museum of Modern Art and Tate Modern. In 2023, Time magazine called him one of the most important people in the world. He lives in Berlin and London.
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Early Life and Learning
Wolfgang Tillmans was born in 1968 in a German area called Remscheid. When he was 14 to 16 years old, he visited museums. There, he saw photo-based art by famous artists like Gerhard Richter and Andy Warhol. These artists greatly influenced him.
In 1983, he went to England as an exchange student. He learned about British youth culture, fashion, and music magazines. He also became friends with Alexandra Bircken and Lutz Hülle in high school.
From 1987 to 1990, Tillmans lived in Hamburg. He had his first art shows there in 1988. Then, from 1990 to 1992, he studied at the Arts University Bournemouth in southern England.
Tillmans' Art Work
After his studies, Tillmans moved to London. In 1994, he lived in New York for a year. There, he met German painter Jochen Klein. Tillmans lived with Klein after moving back to England. Sadly, Klein passed away in 1997 due to health issues.
From 1995, Tillmans mainly lived and worked in London. Since 2007, he has split his time between Berlin and London. His studio in Berlin is in a modern building from the 1930s.
How His Art Started
Tillmans first became known for his casual photos of friends and young people around him. These photos often looked like quick snapshots. He photographed events like the Europride in London (1992) and the Love Parade in Berlin (1992).
His pictures appeared in popular magazines like i-D and Interview. This helped him become known as an artist who captured his generation. He even became a co-editor for Spex magazine in 1997.
Tillmans was seen as someone who documented the London club and gay scenes. However, he said he never meant for his work to be like a diary. He explained that he wanted to show things that were not being shown elsewhere. About half of his work is set up, with him choosing clothes and locations.
When he showed his photos in galleries, he often pinned or taped them directly onto the walls. He used different sizes and types of prints together. He sees each show as a unique art piece for that space.
Seeing the World Through Pictures
Tillmans' photography grew to include many different subjects. He takes portraits, still lifes, and photos of skies, stars, and landscapes. He is interested in both art and social topics, especially those related to gay identity.
He says, "I take pictures, in order to see the world." He makes prints in small, medium, and very large sizes. Some are framed, and others are inkjet prints that can be put right on the wall. He arranges them carefully, sometimes with photocopies or magazine clippings.
Tillmans uses these arrangements to question and explore ideas. He avoids giving simple answers in his art. This way, his photos are always being seen in new ways.
In 2009, Tillmans started using digital cameras. Before that, he used an old film camera for over 20 years. By 2012, he only used digital cameras. He said that digital photography changed how he thought about taking pictures. He feels that the high detail in digital photos reflects how much information we see in the world today.
Tillmans loves streets and clubs, and these places inspire his art. He also uses his work to support gay rights.
Grids of Photos
Tillmans has made several "grid" series, where he shows many photos together.
- The Concorde Grid (1997) has 56 photos of the Concorde airplane. He took these pictures from many different places around London.
- Total Solar Eclipse Grid (1998) shows 21 photos taken during a solar eclipse. These photos are now in the Tate museum's collection.
- Snow/Ice Grid (1999) features pictures of trampled and melting snow and ice.
Abstract Art
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Tillmans started showing abstract photos in 1998. These works often came from mistakes or experiments in the darkroom. For example, his Silver works (since 1998) show how photographic paper reacts to light and chemicals. The name Silver comes from the marks left by silver salts when the paper is developed in a machine that isn't perfectly clean.
Since 2000, Tillmans has explored the chemical side of photography. He makes works directly in the darkroom without a camera. These pieces, like "Blushes" and "Freischwimmer," show photography as an art form that can create new kinds of images. They often appear next to his more realistic photos.
In his "paper drop" series (2001–08), Tillmans folds and shapes photographic paper. He then photographs these shapes, making them flat again. His "Lighter" series (2005–08) takes this further. Here, the folded and creased photo paper itself is the art, not a picture of something else. These colorful works are often displayed under clear covers, looking like sculptures.
Photocopies as Art
Tillmans' very first exhibition in 1988 used only images made with a laser copier. He calls these Approach pictures (1987–1988) his first art before he even owned a camera. He has often returned to using photocopiers.
He makes large-format works from analogue photocopies (since 2006). He uses old Canon copiers, and when he greatly enlarges the images, the uncontrolled contrasts and pigment particles become clear. This shows how the printing process and scale can change how we see an image.
The Tate Modern museum asked Tillmans to photograph the building of their new galleries from 2012 to 2016. He took 176 photos of things like scaffolding and cement bags. He then used an old photocopier to change the colors, making each photo unique.
Table Works: "truth study center"
In 2005, Tillmans showed a large art piece called Truth Study Center. This work uses tables with glass tops. Under the glass, he arranges his own photos next to pages from books, newspapers, magazines, and other found items.
These collage-like arrangements create an open and changing display. They also make people think about how we understand information in our world today. Tillmans uses these works to question ideas of absolute truth, especially in religion and capitalism.
Videos by Tillmans
Tillmans started making videos in 1987 and has shown them since 2002. In most of his videos, the camera stays still. The sound is natural, and he only cuts when the camera turns on or off.
Lights (Body) (2000–2002) is a video installation. It shows still shots of light effects inside an empty dance club, with music playing. The only signs of people are small movements and dust. In 2002, Tillmans made a music video for the band Pet Shop Boys. It mostly showed mice living in the London Underground. His film Kopierer (2010) shows a color copier working for ten minutes.
Special Art Projects
In 2001, Tillmans won a competition to design the AIDS memorial for the City of Munich. The memorial was built based on his plans.
In 2015, the British Museum asked Tillmans to create an official portrait of its retiring director, Neil MacGregor. This was the first photograph portrait acquired by the museum in its 250-year history.
Music and Art Together
In 2011, Tillmans worked with the band The Opiates. He provided photos for their album Hollywood Under the Knife.
Tillmans is a fan of the 1980s band Colourbox. In 2014, he put together an exhibition about them at his gallery, Between Bridges. He also chose the songs and created the artwork for a music collection related to the show.
In 2016, Tillmans' song "Device Control" was used in American singer Frank Ocean's video album Endless. Frank Ocean liked Tillmans' music and asked to use his track.
Between Bridges Gallery
Between Bridges is a special art space run by Tillmans in Berlin. It is a non-profit gallery, meaning it doesn't aim to make money.
From 2006 to 2011, Tillmans had the gallery in his London studio. The name "Between Bridges" comes from one of his photos and the studio's location between two railway bridges. He showed political art from other artists he felt deserved more attention.
From 2014 to 2019, Between Bridges was in Berlin. In 2022, it moved to a new building in Berlin that Tillmans designed himself.
Tillmans' Work with HIV Awareness
Wolfgang Tillmans' partner, Jochen Klein, passed away in 1997 due to health issues. Tillmans has shared that this experience made him feel that life is fragile and precious.
In 2022, New York Times asked Tillmans to photograph Anthony Fauci, a famous doctor. The newspaper also published a conversation between Tillmans and Fauci about HIV. Tillmans has also supported organizations that provide information about HIV treatment.
Awards and Recognition
- 2000: Turner Prize
- 2009: Culture Award, German Society for Photography
- 2013: Became an Academician at the Royal Academy, London
- 2014: Charles Wollaston Award, a main prize at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
- 2015: Hasselblad Award, a very important photography prize
- 2015: Royal Photographic Society Centenary Medal
- 2018: Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (a high honor)
- 2023: Named one of the Time 100 most influential people by Time magazine
Personal Life
Tillmans lives in both Berlin and London. He also owns a beach house in Fire Island Pines, New York.
Images for kids
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AIDS memorial in Munich
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Tillmans at a book signing in 2007
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See also
In Spanish: Wolfgang Tillmans para niños
