Axel Braun (born 1983) conducted artistic photographic research on the subject of hydropower using material from the RWE company archive as well as original photography and research carried out on-site at power plants both in Germany and abroad. Historical material and his own photographs, as well as newspaper articles, letters and literary references were all equally valuable to his piece, which was presented as a collection of materials. His work suspends all chronological relationships, generates new contexts and uses aesthetic categories to open up new perspectives on the subject. The result is a process of continuous reflection that extends far beyond the conventional fascinations of this centuries-old technology, its feats of engineering and the landscapes that envelop it. Braun’s examination of hydropower questions our notions of technology and our assumptions about landscape and nature. Indeed, his artwork draws our attention to the ‘delicate balance’ between these elements. #VISIT2011
Website of Axel Braun
