thomas albdorf

the velvet cell books

“My series ‘Objects’ is loosely inspired by John Baldessari, or rather his usage of dots in photos. Around the time I discovered Baldessari I wasn’t pleased with my current practice – go out, search for something and take a photo of it. So I created very simple ‘actors’ to appear in my scenarios. I wanted to place somewhat unusual objects in areas that are usually of no interest to anyone or places that are associated with secluded romanticism - lonesome woods, etc.”

“These simple objects create a moment of disturbance, an uncanny

yet absurd situation. I use simple geometrics (cubes, rectangles,

circles) or plain foil. They’re a good counterweight to the heavily textured areas I place them in. In the last few months I’ve drifted into a practice of

only going out to shoot photos when I have a particular idea”

“The name ‘Albdorf’ refers to the name of the village where I was born and raised. Although maybe not visible in all of my photos, some time ago I realised how strong the rural and isolated

environment of my adolescent surroundings influenced my work. Not to mention that pretty much all of my photos that are situated in the woods are taken near my parents house. So

choosing a name that plays a bit ironically with my origins just felt very logical.”

“The series ‘Oblivion’ features areas and places that are often overlooked. I usually find these sites by travelling around the outer skirts of Vienna at night until I find something that interests me. Many of the shots are trial-and-error based - due to the fact that the long exposures I use often change the appearance of the objects or scenes quite dramatically.”

“I was born in a very small village with approximately five hundred inhabitants, surrounded by woods and farms. I moved to Vienna just three years ago. The fact that I grew up in a very rural environment, often confronted with isolation and loneliness, is still somehow visible in my works – or at least that’s what I often hear from others.”

“Most of the ideas for my photos come to me sporadically – before falling asleep, travelling by train or on other occasions where my mind just wanders. I don’t think my work carries any specific message; I just photograph things that appear in my thoughts. Sometimes, months after the actual act of creation, when I rethink the whole act I see things and understand why this particular situation fascinated me in the first place – I am at last able to understand what influenced me.”

‘the velvet cell books’www.thevelvetcell.com