CAMERA WORK Virtual Gallery presents the exhibition The Silence of History with 26 photographs by Albert Watson, which show characteristics of traditional art-historical still life, including stagings of archaeological and contemporary artifacts.
Albert Watson’s still lifes describe the essence of extraordinary objects — each of them carrying its own story and fascination. The archaeological artifacts that Watson was allowed to photograph in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo in 1990 are particularly remarkable. This extraordinary opportunity allowed him to stage millennia-old relics of King Tutankhamun in his characteristic style, which combines light, texture, and form to create a powerful visual narrative.
In addition to the artifacts, Watson also focuses on other historical objects: Detail shots of a vintage Hudson Hornet in a Las Vegas car graveyard bring to life the elegant design of decades past, while ornate millinery models celebrate craftsmanship. The still life series is complemented by objects from space travel, including pieces of equipment from the Apollo 15 mission, which bear witness to technological precision and human pioneering spirit, as well as Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit from the memorable Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Personal memorabilia, such as iconic pieces owned by Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali, also reveal Watson’s flair for composition and light, with which he is able to elevate objects to works of art.
Albert Watson (*1942 in Edinburgh) is one of the most influential photographers in history. To date, he has photographed more than 100 covers for Vogue. His portraits of Alfred Hitchcock, Mick Jagger, Jack Nicholson, Kate Moss, and Andy Warhol are world-famous. Solo and group exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Brooklyn Museum (New York), International Center of Photography (New York), Museum of Modern Art (Milan), KunstHausWien, City Art Centre (Edinburgh), NRW Forum (Düsseldorf), Museum Fotografiska (Stockholm), Multimedia Art Museum (Moscow), Museum of Kyoto, Deichtorhallen (Hamburg), Tate Modern (London), and CAMERA WORK have laid the foundation for Watson’s reputation in the art market. In Germany, Albert Watson is exclusively represented by CAMERA WORK Gallery.
CAMERA WORK Virtual Gallery
From April 10 to May 22, 2025
https://camerawork.de/en/virtual-gallery/
CAMERA WORK Gallery
Kantstraße 149
10623 Berlin, Germany
https://camerawork.de/
