Carsten Sander removes people from all societal context and takes their portrait in front of a uniform backdrop. The project HEIMAT. Deutschland - Deine Gesichter (“HOMELAND. Germany – Your Faces“) consists of 1,000 portraits of men and women of widely varied ethnicities, ages, and socio-economic classes. Through the complete collection of faces with neutral expressions, the photo artist wants to create an authentic portrait of Germany devoid of prejudice and societal labels.
© Carsten Sander | deutschlanddeinegesichter.de
It’s a powerful subject granted an equally impressive aesthetic in Sander’s photographs, which he has exhibited in the Willy Brandt House in Berlin and the Wissenschaftszentrum in Bonn.
© Carsten Sander | deutschlanddeinegesichter.de
Now, Sander has opened the HEIMAT Galerie in Düsseldorf, where he had all the pieces produced by WhiteWall in premium quality, because he “did not want to make any compromises.”
© Carsten Sander | deutschlanddeinegesichter.de
Sander usually presents his works on photo canvases to give the portraits a lively, tactile aura. The 8-color pigment printing process ensures the colors are saturated, accenting the expressiveness of the pieces. Canvas is also particularly well-suited for traveling exhibitions because the color remains vivid for decades.
© Carsten Sander | deutschlanddeinegesichter.de
For the works in his new HEIMAT Galerie, Sander opted for with passe-partout mats. The Fine Art print on high-end artist paper from Hahnemühle crisply recreates even the smallest details.
© Carsten Sander | deutschlanddeinegesichter.de
Some of Sander’s most prominent subjects, including Hannelore Elsner and Peter Nottmeier, attended the grand opening in Düsseldorf.
© Carsten Sander | deutschlanddeinegesichter.de
There are other famous faces on display in the HEIMAT Galerie including President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Actor Mario Adorf, and Comedian Didi Hallervorden. Through the neutral background and identical poses, everyone brings their own vitality and depth into the huge portrait of a nation. Sander’s motto? “Make everyone equal instead of making them the same.”