Kilian Schönberger has established himself as a master of landscape photography. At a time when nature is characterized by cultural spaces, he uses his camera to capture sublime landscapes that both entice and overwhelm. His approach is deeply rooted in the tradition of Romantic imagery - his sublime photographs seem like a modern translation of the masterpieces of Romanticism's most important artist: His latest photo book "Lockruf der Einsamkeit" (Lure of Solitude) also pays homage to Caspar David Friedrich, for which he embarked on a photographic journey of longing in the footsteps of the famous painter.
Schönberger's photographs are characterized by impressive perspectives that invite the viewer to immerse themselves deeply in the vastness of the scenery and surrender completely to the wonder of nature. His pictures, often free of human presence and seemingly cultural influences, allow a pure, undisturbed view of the outdoor world - an art experience with immersive potential. He draws on popular pictorial strategies in which a natural setting is used to frame the scenery - such as the view from the cave: a form of composition in which the eye is drawn to the essentials without the viewer consciously noticing the artist's skillful composition. In this way, an art experience is made possible that resembles a spontaneous discovery of the viewer in the landscape rather than a mere view of a work of art. While such perspectives crystallize the essence of the scene on the one hand, they also suggest an infinite depth that invites the viewer to wander further and sharpens the sense for the secrets of nature. The silent presence of the moon in the firmament acts as an optical anchor in a modern composition in which the abstract color gradient of the sky emphasizes the timelessness and originality of the landscape.
This type of image composition is reminiscent of the great Ansel Adams, who coined the term "straight photography": The challenge of this art form is not to arrange the scene in the best possible way, but to find the ideal angle to capture the unadulterated reality. With photographs so powerful that they led to the creation of the world's first nature reserve, Adams showed how influential art can be - proving that its value is more than merely aesthetic.
Caspar David Friedrich said: “Ein Bild muss nicht erfunden, sondern empfunden sein”, which means as much as: "A picture should not be created, but rather be felt.” His words echo in Schönberger's approach, who not only preserves the beauty of nature for eternity through his art, but also makes a statement that moves in many ways - that both touches and inspires.
