About

Andreas Hagenbach (*Basel, Switzerland)

Contact: fotografo[-a*t-]hagenbach.info

Artist Statement

Visual works are what Andreas Hagenbach mostly presents to the public but these works draw very much from other disciplines like music and dance. His approach is research-driven and the results include photography, video, audio, text, performance and large-scale installations.

Stories are the driving factor in his works and he uses them featuring individual stories to juxtapose them against social, (geo)political, metaphysical or technological contexts. He thereby focuses how stories inscribe themselves into individual bodies before settling in the subconscious sphere of a society or a nation. To no surprise he likes to challenge so called common and accepted narratives and often enough is able to provide new answers to old questions.

"Andreas Hagenbach zeigt uns mit seiner Fotografie eine Art individuelle Inventur des Unspektakulären. Seien es präzis gesetzte Cadragen in einer Landschaft oder Detailaufnahmen, oft scheint es, als läge die abgebildete Situation in einer Art Tiefschlaf. Er hält sich und uns auf Distanz zum Objekt und doch erzeugen diese stillen Bilder etwas, das schmerzhaft sein kann. Andreas Hagenbach zeigt uns das Abbild einer anästhetischen Gesellschaft, von der wir Teil sind. Er führt uns unser eigenes Mittelmass vor Augen, in dem er den scheinbaren Stillstand eines wohltemperierten Lebens prototypisch dokumentiert. Die auf Distanz gehaltenen Situationen treffen uns deshalb, weil wir diesem ereignislosen, unspektakulären Leben so gerne entfliehen würden. Diese Mischung aus Distanz und Nähe – eine Nähe, die wir inhaltlich so nicht wünschen – wirft Fragen auf, die unangenehm sein können. Ein oft versteckter Bildwitz mildert diesen Umstand nicht, zeigt er sich doch meist erst nach einer eingehenden Beschäftigung mit der jeweiligen Fotografie." – Anne Sägemeister (2012)

"Andreas Hagenbach's photography provides us with his individual inventory of the unspectacular. Be it precisely placed cadres in a landscape or detailed shots, it often seems as if the situation depicted is in a kind of hibernation. He keeps himself and us at a distance from the object and yet these silent images create something that can feel painful. He shows us the imagery of an anaesthetic society and he reflects upon our own mediocrity by prototypically documenting the apparent standstill of a well-tempered life. These situations held at a distance affect us because we would so much like to escape this uneventful, unspectacular life. This very mixture of distance and closeness - a closeness that we do not want in terms of content - raises questions that can be uncomfortable. The often hidden humour in the images does not mitigate this fact, as it usually only becomes apparent after an in-depth examination of the respective photograph." – Anne Sägemeister (2012)

He currently works in both Africa and Europe. His last residency was in Bagamoyo/Tanzania where he researched the context of how traditional arts of East Africa are worked on in present times.

Education

Fluent in Baseldytsch, German, French, English, Italian, Portuguese and Danish. Currently learns Swahili.

Apprenticeship Interior Design 1985 - 1989
Istituto di Arte Scenica, Pontremoli/I; 1991 - 1992
School of Stage Arts Teatret Cantabile 2, Vordingborg/DK; 1992 - 1993
Fachklasse für Audiovisuelle Gestaltung, HGK Basel; 1997 - 2000
Guest listener Elektronisches Studio / Musikakademie Basel 1998 - 2001
Capoeira Angola > since the mid-90s from many different Brazilian 'mestres' in Brazil, Europe and Africa
Butoh dance and Noguchi Taiso > Imre Thormann (France) and Minako Seki (Spain/Germany)
Throughout the many years workshops in several other contemporary dance techniques such as Gaga, Contact Improvisation etc.
Thai Yoga Bodywork and "Osteothai" > Zoltan Gyorgivcs (Hungary/Switzerland), Nuria Sidler (Switzerland) and Takis Vangelis (Greece)
Geistiges Heilen > Matthias Weiss, Kientalerhof (Switzerland)
innerwise® by Uwe Albrecht (Germany)
Systemic Constellation with Istituto Ronzani (Switzerland), Beat Stroo (Switzerland)

Residencies

Bagamoyo, Tanzania, 2023-2024
Bagamoyo, Tanzania, 2022
Maputo, Mozambique, 2022
Arad, Israel 2018/19
Nairs, Switzerland 2018
Jerusalem, Israel 2018
Almog, Palestine 2017
Rotterdam, Netherlands 2012
Ramallah, Palestine 2011
Rotterdam, Netherlands 2010
Trondheim, Norway 2006
Fremantle, Australia 2005
Ekenäs, Finland 2005
Fremantle, Australia 2003
Tbilisi, Georgia 2002
Tbilisi, Georgia 2001

Selected Shows (as artist)

Biosfèra, group show, PRISMA Studio, Genova/IT 2019
Pfand, solo show, Fenster Basel, Basel/CH 2019
Srinagar Biennal Basel, Ausstellungsraum Klingental, Basel/CH 2018
Wa(h)re Angst, group show, curated by Janusz Czech, Pforzheim/DE 2017
Das Esszimmer im Weltraum, curated by Kathrin Borer, Basel/CH 2017
Nachrichten an den Tag, solo show, curated by Richard Tisserand, Kunstraum Kreuzlingen, Kreuzlingen/CH 2015
Der trojanische Hund, group show, curated by Kathrin Borer and Andreas Hagenbach, Villa Renata, Basel/CH 2015
Truffes & Trouvailles, group show, curated by Claudia Spinelli, Kunstraum Baden/CH 2014
WARZONE PEACE, group show, curated by Claudia Spinelli, Kunstraum Baden, Baden/CH 2014.
OFF-Fototage, group show, curated by Chri Frautschi, Biel/ CH 2013.
Aber nein, man versprach sich viel durchs Hinauffahren und hörte nicht auf die Stimme im Radio. Dieses liess sich nicht mehr abschalten, group show, Basel/CH 2012
this land must be created in the air since it cannot exist on the ground, solo show, Lokal-Int, Biel/CH 2012
Sovereign Art Prize Retrospective, group show, St.Peter Port/UK 2010 Sovereign European Art Prize 2010, group show, Barbican Centre, London/UK 2010
Abgeschwächter Einbezug des Vorgefallenen, solo show, Theater Roxy, Birsfelden/CH 2009
Million Dollar Ocean Views Up Here, solo showcurated by Sabine Schaschl, Kunsthaus Baselland, Muttenz/CH 2006
Brückenorakel, solo show, lokal-int, Biel/CH 2008

Selected shows (as curator)

Matrix Intima, Prisma Studio, Genova/IT 2019
Opportunismes, AEDEN, Regionale 17, Strasbourg/F 2016
Lebenslügen, FABRIKculture Hegenheim, Regionale 16, Hegenheim/F 2015
Coping with Distance, Photoforum Pasquart, Biel/CH 2015
Terra Nostra, Photoforum Pasquart, Biel/CH 2013
Printroom Rotterdam @KASKO, LISTE 17, Basel/CH 2012
Prix Photoforum SELECTION/AUSWAHL 2012 – 20. Edition, Photoforum Pasquart, Biel/CH 2012

Bibliography

Wa(h)re Angst - agora42 4/2017, Stuttgart/DE 2017
novo, Strasbourg/F 2017
DAIG - Dead Art Magazine; Biel/CH 2011
Edition Fasting Plockare; Biel/CH 2009
Vad rummen döljer, p.4 Västra Nyland Jan 28; Ekenäs/FI 2005
Camera Austria 88/2004, Graz/AT 2004
subtext nr 1/2/3/4; Basel/CH 2004
After-shock for art’s sake, p.1 Guardian Express Aug 5; Perth/AU 2003
Marshutka from the artistic viewpoint, 24 hours Oct 23; Tbilisi/GE 2002
“The Little Monsters” p.7 Georgia Today Nov 1; Tbilisi/GE 2002
Schwarzmeer, catalogue; Basel/CH 2002
www.i-love-u.ch, e-zine; 2002
Peacetimes; Tbilisi/GE 2002
Magazin Basler Zeitung; Basel/CH 2001
bonsoir, catalogue; Basel/CH 2000

Grants

Kulturpauschale Basel-Stadt
Pro Helvetia (on various occasions from 2002 onwards)
Fachausschuss beider Basel für Film, Video und Medien
Atelier Mondial (residencies in Tblisi, Fremantle and Maputo from 2001 onwards)

Teaching experiences

Noguchi Taiso (since 2017)
Capoeira Angola (since 2018)
Movement research (since 2012)
Thai Yoga Massage (since 2023)

Relevant art related work experiences

Photographer for editorial, dance, theater and music (current)
Art technician (1997 – 2018)
Video journalist for arttv.ch (2016)
Cameraman for tv, corporate and live music events (1999 – 2015)
Videos for "Snapshots" of Stefan Pucher/Theater Basel (1999)
Freelance lighting designer for theater and dance (1991 – 1998)
In-house technician for Kulturwerkstatt Kaserne Basel (1990– 1991)
In-house sound technician for music club Atlantis (1986 – 1990)