Daniel Fuchs (born 1966 in Alzenau) and Geo Fuchs (born 1969 in Frankfurt am Main) are an artist couple who are known for their conceptual photography series in numerous international exhibitions.
Artistic biography
In 1992, Daniel and Geo Fuchs started their common photographic work. From the beginning, they focused on producing series of photographs with a strong conceptual approach.
The prerequisite for their work is an intense analysis of their chosen subject; the production of a series usually takes several months or even years of research, collecting of material, image selection, and test runs.
From an historical art perspective, their oeuvre belongs to concept art; objectivity, staging, and a wealth of detail.
In the beginning, until about 1996, the artist duo's interest was concentrated on topics like ‘Homelessness’, ’Trans-Sexuality’ and ‘Mental Illness’.
Until the year 2008, Daniel and Geo Fuchs mainly worked with large format camera and tripod, a relatively slow, time-consuming process.
In 2009, with the entry of new media, the artist duo began to experiment with digital techniques.
Concept and aesthetics
Daniel and Geo Fuchs’ photographs have in common, that they fabricate on first view a feel of ’yes - I got it ‘ or ‘yeah that’s obvious’. But intuitively you're pushed to take a closer look, check out the details and arrangements, and all the sudden you ask yourself, what in the moment, while the image was taken, actually existed and what not. Thereby it doesn't matter, whether it is about an arrangement of photographed miniatures like in the ‘Toy Giants’ series or a mountain range like in “Nature and Destruction”.
Independent, whether the images were produced in nature, in an archive or a studio, the viewer will realize, that reality and fiction must have turned into one - how little or how much depends on the concept of the specific work series. Ambiguity is a central component in the work of Daniel & Geo Fuchs and exists in multiple regards. The subtle pretense of something, what can’t be real and if at all, only under different circumstances is one of them. Another one is the balancing act between the extremes - there is hardly a work series, which does not live of antagonists, like - death and esthetics, beauty and destruction, perfectionism and decay. Examples are the series ‘Forces’ and ‘Nature and Destruction’.
Often one work phase of Daniel & Geo Fuchs mounts already into the next one, as theme and project cycles overlap or run parallel.
Due to their large interest in the environment, Daniel & Geo Fuchs developed a strong affinity for that, what first needs to be discovered, is still hidden in the dark or even secret and subsequently for the fascinating world of collections and archives. Visual proofs are the series ‘Conserving’, ‘Toy Giants’ and ‘STASI - Secret Rooms’.
Work series
Since the beginning of their international career until now, Daniel & Geo Fuchs’ œuvre can be ordered into seven large projects: Conserving (1998), Famous Eyes (2000), STASI – Secret Rooms (2006), Toy Giants (2006), Forces (2010), Nature and Destruction and – the latest project – The Halva Project (since 2014).
The dead bodies, photographed for the ‘Conserving’ series, have in common that all of them were inserted in formalin to achieve the best possible and durable conservation. Some of them have already existed for several hundred years. In a time when photography did not exist, as a medium ‘to freeze/keep the moment” and provide a visual memory, this process was the alternative and in a certain sense an own form/variety of sculpture became established, which Daniel and Geo Fuchs have emulated for their project. The themes of life, death, aesthetics and uneasiness touch each other in a similar way to the series ‘Conserving’, which is organized in three topics - fish, animals, humans.
The fascination, created by the photographs of these preserved creatures, inspired the Berlin band Rammstein to cooperate with Daniel and Geo Fuchs. The artist duo developed the main art concept for the band's third album, Mutter (Mother), 2001, which included the general aesthetic appeal of all singles released and the cover of the ‘Mutter’ Album, which stirred up a controversial discussion in public media. The cover shows a baby that died at birth almost 200 years ago. The baby is conserved in alcohol and was photographed by Daniel Fuchs and Geo Fuchs for their book "Conserving". The promotional photos were also shot by Daniel and Geo Fuchs. All pictures are inspired by original photos in their book "Conserving".