"Staging in the natural element of water allows me to break away from gravity and to experience the human form as well as the material body in a slowed and stilled environment. I am an image-maker, who strives for aesthetics with form, colors and dimensions - aesthetics as a pretty and seductive hiding packaging for human depths and abysses such as fears, desires and longings. With the anonymity of the depicted and an almost voyeuristic eye on the event, I want to create nearness and intimacy , leading the beholder into that surreal moment, into an illusion where dreams and reality mix."
Gabriele Viertel
Gabriele Viertel's work focuses on the human figure mostly merged with the natural element of water.
Consciously she leaves the path of traditional photography with her artistic vision by creating contemporary images which seem to balance a tightrope between painting and photography, leading into a dream- like, surreal atmosphere of longings, fears and infinite evanescence,
Over the last years she was honoured many times for her photographic work.
She is the recipient of many awards including the silver medal of Prix de la Photographie Paris, the gold medal of the Color Award and the platinum medal of the Graphis NY Award.
Gabriele Viertel has been invited to international exhibitions such as the 'Nation, Best of Contemporary Photography' of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Indiana USA in 2015, 3rd Biennial of Documentary and Fine Art Photography Heritage Municipal Museum Malaga Spain in 2014, Berlin Foto Biennal Germany in 2016, NordArt Schleswig-Holstein Germany in 2016 and the two-artist exhibition in 2017 ' Visions de Corps' of the Centre Charles Peguy , Musee D'Orleans France.
Works are held in collections of public institutes including the Musée des Beaux-arts Orleans, FR, the University of Art Codarts Rotterdam,NL, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art Indiana, USA, the Dr. Belbe Collection Stade as well as in private collections.
Originally from Germany Gabriele studied mechanical engineering and design in Cologne. During this time she worked as a model to fund the studie. After graduation as a technician she decided to pursue the career in front of the camera and on the catwalk. It was followed about a decade working in the international fashion industry for designers such as Dior, Wolfgang Joop and Karl Lagerfeld.
In 2011, she devoted herself to photography as freelance artist and presented her work to the public for the first time in 2013. This did not go unnoticed and was followed by numerous publications worldwide, among others repeatedly featured in the art blog of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Gabriele Viertel lives and works in the Netherlands.
"Gabriele combines a beautiful and intelligent inner world with an interesting and highly technical procedure. She joins the painted idea with the photographic eye, employing an unique technique never seen before. She has an exceptional way of arranging light, colors, costumes and models. It displays her natural examination of humanity and femininity, her respect for life and a deep spiritual understanding.
Gabriele Viertel is an extraordinary and experienced and independent artist. She is a profound and creative storyteller of her surrealistic inner images, working with beauty in all its artistic possibilities."
2016 Hans Peter Adamski, visual artist, professor and dean at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts
Interviews
italian, The Way Mag 'Gabriele Viertel, da modella per Christian Dior alla photo art'
french, Art & Facts ' Les sirènes de Gabriele Viertel '
english, Jung Katz ' Gabriele Viertel - Photographer "
german, Coultique 'Gabriele Viertel – Magnetic Personality '
english, ThePassengerTimes '“Doesn’t matter” – Gabriele Viertel interview '
Selected Features
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