Petra Jaenicke's Projects

All artworks belong to the series “Stay Loose”, which was created in 2021, as a tribute to Joseph Beuys and the poem "How to be an Artist", which is attributed to Beuys. It vividly and yet ironically describes what a person can do to become an artist. In much the same way, my works enter into a dialogue with this poem and show, not without a certain wink, how to awaken the artist in oneself. My image compositions are created by digitally assembling and superimposing several motifs. The doubling of the female figure lets the naturalism of the image fade out while at the same time enhancing its‘ inherent meaning. My photographic works, multi-layered in the truest sense of the word, show the potential, the strength and yet the fragility of the figures. The digital transformation shows reality as interpretation and at the same time as irritation. Thus, something new emerges, born of the real yet detached from it and photography becomes a medium for tracing the subjective in the objective. Digitally superimposing different motifs, blurring or playing with a negative and positive presentation simultaneously, these are my essential design tools for my surreal compositions. Every picture is a lyrical approach to subjective visions, something that lies beneath the reality. And, as Gerhard Richter says, “art is the highest form of hope” and it is hope and healing that especially today are most urgently needed.

These works are exploring questions of reality and develop answers as poetic illusion. I therefore try to experiment and even play with reality. Each image tells a story about a poetic utopia of sensual world experience taking elements from spaces of sobriety and magic. The results are a collection of imaginative alternate realities. In this way, they become visionary. They are, however, also reflections of the medium itself making the observer aware of the inherent digital variability of each picture and thereby the reality it presents. Created by digital double exposures in several layers, the photos are modelled on something real but are beyond the certainty to represent reality. In my images, I play with the abstraction of what is perceived as representational. This leads to a form of abstraction which is to leave the photograph to be recognized as such. The basis of my photographic art is and always has been camera work. The picture the camera catches is only aesthetically altered. In order to achieve that, I place the photographs on a digital dissecting table as it were and melt together levels, forms and colors. The thus emerging formal changes transport the contents level. In this photographic process I work purely intuitively trying to find an expression for visions as a poetic and aesthetic appropriation of life and timelessness. Each image is a lyrical response of my personal awareness and at the same time a chance for the spectator for their own perception and experience. The images of my series “Ordinary Explorations” are not to appear as photography clad in painting. They can lead photography onto new visual and aesthetic ways and to an altered perception of the medium itself. As abstraction in photography holds a not yet established position for it has always been a phenomenon in painting, digitalization added a variety of options to analogous photography which made a fusion of both media possible.

In the Beuys Year 2021, the series "Stay Loose" was created as a homage to Joseph Beuys and the poem "How to be an Artist", which is attributed to him (but in fact probably originates from the American artist SARK). Joseph Beuys wanted to abolish capitalism, heal the world with art, and his guiding principle was: "Every human being is an artist". In this respect, the poem provides insights into Beuys' thinking laboratory. My works enter into a dialogue with the poem and, with a wink, show what it takes to awaken the artist in every human being. Working artistically with the medium of photography is like dancing with and around the real, because every photo is a fragment of reality. By superimposing many realities, I open up the possibility of playing and experimenting with them. Reality thus becomes my individual interpretation. The doubling of the female figure and her simultaneous negative and positive portrayal also contributes to blurring the naturalism of the representation and reinforcing the meanings in the image. My photographic works, which are multi-layered in the truest sense of the word, show the potentials, the strengths but also the fragility of my figures.

The Images are part of the series “Beth - Poetic Explorations”. Beth ist not the portrait of a single woman, but is an emerging lyrical archetype guiding my exploration into the aesthetic echos of female poetry and strength in the context of art photographie. My quest is for an expression of emancipated femininity, with entails a strong and independent vibrancy as well as the courage to be vulnerable and emotional. Beth moves through the poetic landscapes of my surreal imagery, which tells of vitality, longings, magic and fantasies. She personifies a poetic utopia of sensual world experience, an all-encompassing state that unites emotions, body and spirit. A physical and spiritual unity that goes hand in hand with intuitive sensual aspects of humanity and womanhood, which is unfortunately still suppressed in many ways in our culture and society. My images are counter-proposals to the conventional way of representing and perceiving women as objects resulting from a patriarchal culture dominanted by reason. In this sense, these works are an expression of my struggle for a feminine identity which also nourishes the potential for social change

„Beth“ ist not a portrait of a single woman, but is an emerging lyrical archetype guiding my exploration into the aesthetic echos of female poetry and strength in the context of art photographie. Each photo tells a story about my subject and the human experience. My quest is for an expression of emancipated femininity, with entails a strong and independent vibrancy as well as the courage to be vulnerable and emotional. Beth moves through the poetic landscapes of my surreal imagery, which tells of vitality, longings and the alchemy of magic and fantasies. She is daring, succeeds in all her endeavors, even flying, and has the prowess to command her visions and follow the language of her heart. "Beth" personifies a poetic utopia of sensual world experience, an all-encompassing state that unites emotions, body and spirit. In this way the imagery becomes visionary. It is important for me to invite the universal tenderness of the soul which longs to be lived and to be loved to emerge in my work. A physical and spiritual unity that goes hand in hand with intuitive sensual aspects of humanity and womanhood, which is unfortunately still suppressed in many ways in our culture and society. In this sense, these works are an expression of my struggle for a human identity which also nourishes the potential for social change. I create new poetic worlds that invite the viewer to come in and experience beautiful ways of seeing their own potential. But, my images are not supposed to look nice, they are supposed to make you feel something.

My impulse and my motivation arise from a desire to accept radical subjectiveness of acquisition, perception, and presentation of reality in art photography. In this process surreal coloration and double exposure are essential tools used to address the simultaneity of the world and its individual interpretation. The images are a lyrical response for my personal awareness in the context of art photography. In this way photography shows reality as my own interpretation and at the same time as an irritation. For me, this is how truth arises beyond reality. The images show my quest for solutions for the demands of life as well as my longing for beauty as an individual effort to relate the alien exterior to my heart. The results are images of the aesthetical echo of female poetry and strength in the context of art photography. While working I experiment with reality, follow meanders and dreams and immerse myself completely in the process. My work feels like a dance with and around the real and a moment of individual engaging into the conditions of the situation. The idea of using birds and flight as metaphors opens the doorway to spontaneous, unhindered creative ideas. It opens the possibility of incorporating my skills, experiences, interpretations, and even ideas and suggestions from my mind. Each photo tells a story about my subjects in the photos and the human experience. In this way the imagery becomes visionary. The result is a collection of imaginative alternate realities. I create new poetic worlds that invite the viewer to come in and experience beautiful ways of seeing and feeling.

In my work I show a reality that could be irritatingly surreal, as can be seen in my submitted post. All images are digital merged photos. I try to re-explore reality, in order to use the medium photography to contribute to a contemporary interpretation of it. The results are images of the aesthetical echo of female poetry in the context of art photography. They show my quest to solutions for the demands of life as well as my longing for beauty as an individual effort to relate the alien exterior to my interior. While working I experiment with reality, follow meanders and dreams and immerse myself completely in the process. My work feels like a dance with and around the real and a moment of individual engaging in the conditions of the situation. This creates a space in which the contemplator’s conventions must be put to the test and renegotiated, so these images leave space for own stories, perception and experience.

All images are digital merged photos transformed to see into the uncertain poetry of actuality. They show my quest to solutions for the demands of life as well as my longing for beauty as an individual effort to relate the alien exterior to my interior. The images represent the way to construe my own reality. A reality that could be real and yet irritatingly surreal. In times of increasingly virtual realities, I try to re-explore reality, in order to use the medium photography to contribute to a contemporary interpretation. The results are images of the aesthetical echo of female poetry and strength in the context of art photography. While working I follow meanders and dreams and immerse myself completely in the process. My work feels like a dance with and around the real and a moment of individual engaging in the conditions of the situation. In this process, surreal coloration and double exposure are essential tools used to address the simultaneity of the world and its individual interpretation. This creates a space in which the contemplator’s comfortable conventions must be put to the test and renegotiated, so these images leave space for own perception and experience.

The photos in the series "Uncertain Environments” are modeled on real places, but beyond the effort to represent ther reality. My images from landscapes, skies and single items experiment with metaphors for uncertainty. The images go beyond what it is, capturing poetry and emotions. Everything that resonates in me, I look more closely to it through the camera. In a narrow, almost meditative form of bonding, the camera and I build a unit for this moment. So I approach the reality and disassemble it with the camera into parts. In this photographic reduction, I work purely intuitive, trying to find an expression for my feelings and visions. So these images are part of my trip to a poetic and aesthetic appropriation of a normal course of everyday life and at the same time an opportunity for individual interpretation, to give a chance to the spectator for their own perception and experience.

The photos from buildings, walls and skies in this series experiment with metaphors for uncertainty. They are exploring questions of reality and poetic illusion within the context of art-photography. I therefore try to experiment and even play with reality – a visualization of reality where fleeting, non-permanent and periodical moments occur as a mode of disappearance. And I´m trying out photographical paths that will be able to document my distrustfulness towards classical realism. Therefore my photography becomes the medium of finding a subjective response to the world. All images are digital merged photos transformed to see into the uncertain poetry of actuality. In this process surreal coloration and double exposure are essential tools used to address the simultaneity of the world and its individual interpretation. The process of creating represents my way to construe reality, and it also dismantles the myth of photography as a medium for the presentation of facts. Therefore, my photos refuse an unequivocal interpretation. This creates a space in which comfortable conventions must be put to the test and renegotiated. The procedure results in images of the existing which resembles a dance with and around the existing that is taking into account the particular moment of encounter. The images are part of my trip in a poetic and aesthetic appropriation of a normal course of life and opportunity for individual interpretation, to give the viewer a chance for own perception and experience.

This series tells about young emigrants looking for homeland, freedom and togetherness, and the difficulty of being there without arriving. The images go beyond what it is, capturing dreams of hope, freedom and togetherness, but also of fear and sadness. Like mysteries to remind of a dream you cannot quite remember, but have it lingering your memory. All images are merged photos transformed to see into the surreal poetry of actuality. They are exploring questions of reality and poetic illusion within the context of art-photography.

The merged photos discover myself in a series of self-portraits witch captures the surreal poetry of reality. That is why the beings which I represent here seem to float in an atmosphere of fantasy and strangeness. These portraits show me as in a dream and wave together notions of female identity and evidence of everyday live. So – while working - I tried to follow personal paths, as well as wanderings and dreams and I need to feel what I photograph. I shooted the portraits with the self-timer of my camera and then I merged it with other images. With this technique, I could control the process of creating the new single frame. I am always interested in creativity and pushing my artwork further.

My photographic work is modelled on something real but beyond the certainty to represent reality. The photos become part of a journey into the poetry of everyday life and create space for its magic. Reality, perception and messages from within the I merge into subjective interpretation. In this process the diffuse and surreal coloration are essential tools used to address the simultaneity of the world and its individual interpretation. So these images are part of my trip to a poetic and aesthetic appropriation of a normal course of everyday life and an opportunity for individual interpretation.

My photographic work is modelled on something real but beyond the certainty to represent reality. The photos become part of a journey into the poetry of everyday life and create space for its magic. Reality, perception and messages from within the I merge into subjective interpretation. In this process the diffuse and surreal coloration are essential tools used to address the simultaneity of the world and its individual interpretation. So these images are part of my trip to a poetic and aesthetic appropriation of a normal course of everyday life and an opportunity for individual interpretation.

Over the boundaries of reality the photo become an uncompromising exploration of art. Therefore, my photos refuse an unequivocal interpretation. This creates a space in which comfortable conventions must be put to the test and renegotiated. Modeled on something real but beyond the certainty to represent reality the photo is part of a journey into the poetry of everyday life and allow room for its magic. Photography becomes the medium of finding a subjective response to the world. In this process surreal coloration, movements of the camera or double exposure are essential tools used to address the simultaneity of the world and its individual interpretation. The procedure results in images which resembles a dance with and around the existing that is taking into account the particular moment of encounter. The appeal and at the same time the artistic challenge are to create an abstraction of the moment.

Over the boundaries of reality photography becomes the medium of finding a subjective response to the world. In this process surreal coloration or double exposure are essential tools used to address the simultaneity of the world and its individual interpretation. The procedure results in images of the existing which resembles a dance with and around the existing that is taking into account the particular moment of encounter. The appeal and at the same time the artistic challenge are to create an abstraction of the moment.

I like to call my work "Situational Photography". Reality, perception and messages from within the I merge into subjective interpretation. Photography becomes the medium of finding a subjective response to the world of objects. I slip my interpretation over the photographed object like a hat. The procedure results in images of the existing which resembles a dance with and around the existing that is taking into account the particular moment of encounter. The appeal and at the same time the artistic challenge are to create an abstraction of the moment. So these images are part of my trip to a poetic and aesthetic appropriation of a normal course of everyday life and an opportunity for individual interpretation, to give a chance to the spectator to give room for their own perception and experience.