After having achieved phenomenal success with his first book ‘Wrong’, Asger Carlsen has now pushed the question of photographic truth even further with his second book ‘Hester’, which has recently been released by Morel Books.
To find out more about ‘Hester’ and Asger Carlsen’s practice in general I decided to ask this unique, original and fascinating artist a few questions.
Anna-Maria Pfab: What was your first experience with photography and, from that point, how did you find your own voice and vision?
Asger Carlsen: I was 16 years old and intern at a news paper and discovered photography. Finding your own voice can take a longtime. The best thing to do is to photograph a lot and spend unlimited time editing. This is influenced by one sensitivity to the world and what is possibly interesting to look at.
AP: I would probably describe you more as a surrealist photo artist or even as a photographic sculptor rather than a photographer – would you agree with that?
AC: Yes I don’t consider my world as straight forward photographs anymore. I have more in common with other artists such as painters or sculptures.
AP: What inspires you? Who and what are your influences?
AC: Anything that tries to be something else then it is suppose to be or may be misunderstood . But I also looked at a lot of formative art and what could be different from normal ideas.
AP: What purpose do you think does photography serve? What is it you want to achieve with your photographic practice?
AC:There is not intentional purpose and I cannot give a reason to why started doing the work. It is more a subconscious decision and drive. There is a sense of never really fitting in anywhere or that I was never really good at things that are expected of a human being. Like being a good student or finding a safe job.
AP: Your first book, also published by Morel, entitled ‘Wrong’ question reality and photographic truth. Can you tell us a little bit more about ‘Wrong’? How did you come up with the idea?
AC: Ok so I was messing around with photoshop one day and I was laying an image on top of another image and out came this image with many eyes in a face. From there the idea evolved. Ideas like this can easily go wrong from over composing or trying to make it too sensational. The balance is hard.
AP: I have read, that the photographs in ‘Wrong’ have not been created digitally – is that true? Do you think that affects the perception of the project?
AC: No everything was build in my small Chinatown kitchen and from there where brought in to Photoshop. I don’t think wrong would have looked the same without the organic elements.
AP: And what about your new project, ‘Hester’? Have you manipulated those digitally?
AC: Yes- it was very much a process of becoming better and realizing what works and doesn’t work.
AP: How does ‘Hester’ follow on ‘Wrong’?
AC: They both hold the simple idea of being a studio process. Where the creative process takes place after the images are photographed.
Hester is essentially a studio study that has a more seamless narrative. Wrong is about inserting foreign objects on to a candid narrative.
AP: Both projects have been done in black and white – why?
AC: Black and White Is more sculptural and gets closer to being an object. It also interferes with the historic believe of what a black and white image is.
AP: Your book and work have been perceived incredibly well – did you expect that?
AC: No- but I am very happy about the way things turned out. I just follow and trust my Intuition.
AP: And finally – what comes next?
AC: I am planning a series of self portraits. As a way to bring down the photography process to a minimum.
Asger Carlsen was born in 1973 in Denmark and now lives and works in New York.
‘Hester’ is published in a limited edition of 1000 copies and can be purchased on the Morel Books website.
