HORST SCHÄFER

HORST SCHÄFER

Biography

Images

Publication

The German photographer Horst Schäfer was born in 1932. His first agency work was in 1959. His unique perspective and visual perception, which was later to characterise his oeuvre, was already evident in his early works, as was his abstract approach, his use of the contrasting values of light and dark. Schäfer moved to New York in 1961. He became an employee of the New York office of Agence France Press (AFP) very early. His works and series were published, among others, in the magazines Newsweek, Harper’s Bazaar, Life and Fortune. His first larger contribution was in 1962 in the magazine US Camera. In 1964 his works were shown in the solo exhibition “Architectural Views” in the Rockefeller Centre, followed by several photoreportages in the New York Times. In 1968 Schäfer received the award “Outstanding Press Photographer of the Year 1968”. He also produced freelance work, including architectural photography, which emerged from his exploration of the topography of Manhattan. With an abstract, structural approach, a specific use of light and the embodiment of a poetic moment, the works developed their own aesthetic universe, generating new potential for the medium of black and white photography. The street scenes and photographs of parks and urban peripheries likewise consolidate one specific moment. In addition, their compositional quality and rich atmosphere of content conveys a sense of timelessness.