Dreamy still-life portraits from around the world

Evelyn Hofer’s encounters — From New York and Dublin to Rome and Istanbul, photographer Evelyn Hofer took timeless snapshots of life around the globe.

“It’s really a shame that photography was invented,” Evelyn Hofer is quoted as saying in the new book Evelyn Hofer: Encounters (Steidl). It’s a strange statement from a master of the medium, whose landscape, portrait, and still-life photographs immortalise the essence of her subjects. 

Andreas Pauly, the executor of the Evelyn Hofer Estate, explains that Hofer’s perspective came as a result of her artistic practice: “She had some periods in her life where she was just painting, but then she gave it up again,” he explains. “She always said her main influence was painting and not photography. You can see that clearly in the way she treats the light.”

Springtime, Washington, 1965

Influenced by Dutch and Italian Renaissance painters, Hofer maintained friendships with artists of her era, most notably fellow German émigré Richard Lindner. She approached her compositions as a painter would, using a 4X5 camera, through which she saw the world upside down as an abstraction of light, colour, shape, and form.

“She wasn’t interested in the everyday life,” Pauly says. “She wanted to capture the everlasting; the eternal aspect of the city that existed for 500 years. She didn’t want to show cars or telephone poles; she wanted to do things that always were there.”

Hofer brought this approach to all of her work, whether photographing cities such as New York, Washington DC, Dublin, or Istanbul. Her encounters with these cities are portraits of a sort, the face of a place that reveals its character and heart. 

Bowery, New York,1965

While accompanying Hofer to the Villa Medici in Rome on an assignment for House & Gardens magazine, Pauly noticed she went without her camera on the first day. “I was so surprised,” he recalls. “She said, ‘For me, the most important thing is the first impression. I want to get a feeling for a place. I’m not going there and starting to shoot like crazy. I want to feel what it’s about.’ Then only the next day we started to work with the camera.”

This depth of feeling towards her subjects is wonderfully resonant in her portraits. Whether photographing artists like Yayoi Kusama, Ed Ruscha, and Andy Warhol in their studios, gravediggers in Dublin, or even a lion in the Central Park Zoo, Hofer was keenly attuned to the spirit of life that animates the flesh.

“She was very good with people,” Pauly says. “Sometimes it is very hard; you only have 10 minutes for the photograph – but in that short time she really connected to the people and she made them show her something or open themselves.”

Pewter Pitcher with Grapes (Still Life No. 7), New York,1997

Phoenix Park on a Sunday, Dublin, 1966

Beauty Palace, New York, 1963

Gravediggers, Dublin, 1966

Pollock Studio, Long Island, 1988

Arteries, New York, 1964

Balthus, Switzerland, 1989

 

Evelyn Hofer: Begegnungen mit der Kamera will be on view at Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Wörlen in Passau, Germany, from July 20 – October 27, 2019. 

Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter


You might like

Vibrant book covers against bleak, rocky hills and buildings; 'Babylon' and 'Albion' text in bold lettering.
Culture

Dalia Al-Dujaili: “When you’re placeless, nature can fill the void”

Babylon, Albion — As her new book publishes, the British-Iraqi author speaks about connecting with the land as a second-generation migrant, plants as symbols of resistance, and being proud of her parents.

Written by: Zahra Onsori

Three orange book covers with the title "Foreign Fruit" against a dark background.
Culture

Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”

Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.

Written by: Angela Hui

A punk rock band performing on stage, with a female lead singer belting into a microphone. Behind them, a colourful mural with graffiti-style text.
Music

Meet the hair-raised radicals of Berlin’s noise punk scene

Powertool — In his new zine, George Nebieridze captures moments of loud rage and quiet intimacy of the German capital’s bands, while exploring the intersections between music, community and anti-establishment politics.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Surfers against sewage protest box floating in water with people swimming around it.
© Alex Brown / Surfers Against Sewage
Sport

The rebellious roots of Cornwall’s surfing scene

100 years of waveriding — Despite past attempts to ban the sport from beaches, surfers have remained as integral, conservationist presences in England’s southwestern tip. A new exhibition in Falmouth traces its long history in the area.

Written by: Ella Glossop

Energetic music performance on stage with colourful lighting, smoke and audience.
Culture

Southbank Centre reveals new series dedicated to East and Southeast Asian arts

ESEA Encounters — Taking place between 17-20 July, there will be a live concert from YMO’s Haruomi Hosono, as well as discussions around Asian literature, stage productions, and a pop-up Japanese Yokimono summer market.

Written by: Zahra Onsori

Huck 79

We are all Mia Khalifa

How humour, therapy and community help Huck's latest cover star control her narrative.

Written by: Alya Mooro

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.