1959 Born in Castrop-Rauxel
1979–86 Studied art and geography at the University of Düsseldorf, training as a schoolteacher in these subjects; teaching practice in Krefeld
1987–89 Studied photography at University of Applied Sciences Cologne with Arno Jansen
1989–95 Studied photography at the Düsseldorf Academy of Art with Bernd Becher and Nan Hoover, master student of Nan Hoover
1993–96 Teaching posts at the University of Siegen
2000 Visiting artist at the University of Canada in Ottawa
2009 Scanning Electron Microscope Workshop at the Natural History Museum in Santa Barbara, California, USA
2009 Artist in resident at Fermynwoods Contemporary Art, Kettering, UK
Currently lives and works in Werne and Bonn

GoEun Museum of Photography, Busan, Korea Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung) Sprengel-Museum Hannover (Sammlung Gerd Schnakenwinkel) Sammlung Hans Hansen, Hamburg Hypo Vereinsbank, München Kunstmuseum Bonn Musée de L'Elysée, Lausanne Martin Z. Margulies Collection, Miami National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (Ontario) Portland Art Museum, Oregon Rheinisches Industriemuseum, Oberhausen Santa Barbara Museum of Art, California Kreismuseum Peine Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Dortmund Wildling Art Museum, Los Olivos

2014 "Sehen Zen - Claudia Fährenkemper", curators Chuha Chung, MiJung Lee; Catalog available (Claudia Fährenkemper / Josef Šnobl) GoEun Museum of Photography, Busan, Korea 2013 "MACRO MICRO - Claudia Fährenkemper Photographie", Centre d’animation culturelle Camille-Claude, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand 2010 "Extreme Dimensions", Kreisgalerie Nürnberg 2009 "Fotografien der Extremdimensionen – Fördergeräte und Insekten", Kunstverein Salzgitter 2009 "IMAGO Insektenportraits", Kunstverein Unna 2008 "IMAGO", Art Galerie, Siegen 2008 "Insektenportraits", Stadtmuseum, Münster 2007 "Claudia Fährenkemper", Brussels Flamingo, Brussels 2007 "Glühwürmchen? Strahlentierchen? Königskerze? Wunderliche Fotografische Portraits aus dem Mikrokosmos", Kunstmuseum Bonn 2005 "Formen des Lebens", Ernst Haeckel Haus, Jena 2005 "Imago", Galleri Image, Aarhus (DK) 2005 "Imago - Embryo", Fabrik Fotoforum im Altonaer Museum 2004 "Imago - Fördergeräte im Braunkohlentagebau", Galerie Poller, Frankfurt a.M. 2004 "Habitus", Alfred-Ehrhardt-Stiftung, Forum für Fotografie und Kunst, Köln 2003 "Die reale Welt im Unsichtbaren", Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Dortmund 2002 "Embryo Metamorphose Imago", Kulturforum Alte Post, Neuss 2001 "Embryo Metamorphose Imago", Galerie für Fotografie, Rotenburg (Wümme) 2000 "Imago", Galerie Heinz Wenk, Dortmund 1993 "Großgeräte im Braunkohlentagebau", Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum 1993 "Fördergeräte im Braunkohlentagebau", Kreismuseum Peine

2014 "Ein Gramm Licht - Alte Verfahren in jungen fotografischen Bildern" Curated by Günter Derleth and Christoph Schaden; Museum Industriekultur, Nürnberg, Oct 1 - Nov 30, 2014 (Thomas Bachler, Günter Derleth, Claudia Fährenkemper, Ulrich Frewel, Peter Kunz, Katia Liebmann, Agnes Prammer, Gabriele Pütz, Wolfgang Reichmann, Friedrich Saller, Stefan Sappert, Jos Schmid, Claus Stolz, Roland Wirtz) HAUPTSACHEN. Das andere Gesicht der Becher-Schule", Galerie B.Lausberg, Düsseldorf, Jan 31 - Mar 14, 2014. (Katharina Mayer, Laurenz Berges, Natascha Borowsky, Claudia Fährenkemper, Anna Giese, Claus Goedicke, Jörg Paul Janka, Marianne Kapfer, Matthias Koch, Christian Konrad, Nina Schmitz, Sigune Siévi, Birgitta Thaysen) 2011 "Sommergäste" (Claudia Fährenkemper, Moritz Götze, Sebastian Heiner, Thomas Kleemann, Marleen, Herbert Mehler, Lothar Seruset, Gabi Streile, Ernst Volland), Galerie Tammen & Partner 2013 "Ballarat International Foto Festival - BIFB", Australia 2013 BIFB Core Program artists: Terence Bogue, John Cato (Tribute Show), Marrigje de Maar (NL), Francisco Diaz (USA), Erika Diettes (CO), Claudia Fährenkemper (D), Ayala Gazit (USA), Tony Hewitt (USA), Russell Joslin (USA), Young Ho Kang (ROK), Sheena MacRae (UK), Sonia Macak, Meredith O'Shea, Doc Ross (NZ), Hester Scheurwater (NL), Vikk Shayen, Jackie Ranken (NZ), Kara Rasmanis, Mark Ruff, Guy Vinciguerra, Elisabeth Zeilon (S) "25 Jahre Ankäufe Kreismuseum Peine", Germany "photographers:network selection 2013", Thomas Kellner, Siegen 2010 "Der Westen leuchtet / The Luminous West", Standortbestimmung der Kunstlandschaft des Rheinlandes, Kunstmuseum Bonn "Wonderland", photographers:network, Siegen "Urbane Gewächse", Alfred-Ehrhardt-Stiftung, Berlin "Der rote Bulli - Stephen Shore und die junge Düsseldorfer Fotografie", NRW-Forum, Düsseldorf "Mikrofotografie – Schönheit jenseits des Unsichtbaren", Museum für Fotografie, Berlin 2009 "Stilleben in Fotografie und Malerei", curated by Enno Kaufhold (Ariane Boss, Amin El Dib, Nirto Karsten Fischer, Claudia Fährenkemper, James Higginson, Lisa Hubert, Heike Jeschonnek, Jens Knigge, Karsten Kusch, Marleen [Sabine Marleen Moegelin], Manfred Paul, Florian Pelka, Michael Shamir, Irene Suhr, Ernst Volland, TRAK Wendisch, Galerie Tammen, Berlin "Natural Responses" (Claudia Fährenkemper, Alex Metcalf, Jacques Nimki, Martin Prothero -artists in residency 2009), Fermynwoods Contemporary Art, Kettering, UK "Wildlings from the Deep" (together with Ernest H. Brooks and Richard Salas; curated by Karen Sinsheimer and Eric Hochberg Wildling Museum, Los Olivos (CA), USA "Karl Blossfeldt – Pflanzenstudien und verwandte Positionen" (Eugène Aget, Anna Atkins, Lawrence Beck, Natasch Borowsky, Claudia Fährenkemper, Ruth Hallensleben, Ernst Fuhrmann, Charles Jones, August Kotzsch, Elmar Mauch, Simone Nieweg, Albert Renger- Patzsch, August Sander, Henry Fox Talbot and others), an exhibition by Photographische Sammlung/ SK Stiftung Kultur, Köln, in colaboration with Universität der Künste Berlin 2008 "photographers:network selection 2008", Studio Thomas Kellner, Siegen 2007 Symposium "Motivation : Natur : Wissenschaft", Braunschweigische Landschaft e.V., Braunschweig 2006 "Wahr-Zeichen. Fotografie in Wissenschaft und Kunst", curated by Andreas Krase, Agnes Matthias (Alfred Ehrhardt, Claudia Fährenkemper, Richard Gray, Heinrich Heidersberger, Gottfried Jäger, Anja Jensen, Mark Kessell, Rolf H. Krauss, Edgar Lissel, Jakob Mattner, Ariel Ruiz i Altaba, Torsten Seidel, Carl Strüwe, Stephanie Valentin), Technische Sammlungen Dresden, Altana-Galerie der TU Dresden "No Limit Award", curator Vincent Lavoie (Canada), Rencontres d'Arles 2004 "Sanctuary: photography & the garden", with Keith Arnatt, Emma Barton, Sian Bonnell, Mark Edwards, Anna Fox, Gina Glover, Neeta Madahar, Gérard Mermoz and Ian Skoyles; Fermynwoods Contemporary Art, Kettering, UK Claudia Fährenkemper, Dylan Vitone, Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, Oregon "Faces, Traces, Places", National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa 2003 "Einblicke in Privatsammlungen – Zeitgenössische Fotografie", Museum Folkwang, Essen 2002 "Abstrahierende Fotografie", Galerie für Fotografie, Rotenburg (Wümme) 1999 "Natura Photographica", with Charles Jones, Joan Fontcuberta, Anne and Patrick Poirier, Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey, Nicolas Crispini, Musée de L’Elysée, Lausanne 1998 "The Body in the Mirror", Photographic Center of Skopelos, Fine Arts Center Larissa, curated by Musée de L’Elysée, Lausanne "gestern genau jetzt – Arbeiten einer photographischen Schule", Art Cologne, Die Photographische Sammlung SK Stiftung Kultur, Cologne 1996 "Klasse Nan Hoover", Galerie Hubertus Wunschik, Düsseldorf 1995 "Close to Life", 3. Internationale Foto-Triennale, Esslingen

Andrea Gnam, "Reiz der Peripherie - Landschaftswandel im Fokus der Fotografie", Neue Zürcher Zeitung vom 11.05.2013 "Claudia Fährenkemper - Images from the Microcosm", by Heidi Romano, Unless You Will (Australia), issue 25, March 2013 Laurianne Saussol: "Claudia Fährenkemper au Centre Camille-Claudel: Quand la science inspire l'art", La Montagne, Clermont-Ferrand, France, 23.01.2013 Claudia Fährenkemper in Essay von Ludger Derenthal: "Zeitgenössische Positionen in der Mikrofotografie" in: Ludger Derenthal, Christiane Stahl: Mikrofotografie – Schönheit jenseits des Unsichtbaren, exh. cat. Kunstbibliothek der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, Sammlung Fotografie und Alfred Ehrhardt Stiftung, Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern, 2010, pp 174, 175, 232-237 2010 Werner Lippert & Christoph Schaden: Der Rote Bulli – Stephen Shore and the New Düsseldorf Photography, exh. cat. NRW-Forum Düsseldorf, pp 59, 196-201 Photographers: network selection 2010 "Wonderland", ProfiFoto 6/2010, S. 17 Van Ham 296. Auktionskatalog Photographie 12/2010, p.122 Vernissage Rheinland, 2/2010, S.43 2010 Stephan Berg, Stefan Gronert: Der Westen leuchtet / The Luminous West, Claudia Fährenkemper / Essay by Christoph Schaden, exh. cat. Kunstmuseum Bonn, Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, pp.201-2082009

Ingeborg Ruthe: In Schönheit sterben, Berliner Zeitung, 1.9.2010

2009 'Claudia Fährenkemper - Tagebau-Großgeräte / Opencast Mining Machinery', Foreword (dt./engl.) Klaus Berner, Texts (dt./engl.) Christoph Schaden, Daniel Stemmrich; 31 b/w ill., 56 pp., 21x30 cm, Editor Kunstverein Salzgitter e.V., Salzgitter [exhibition catalogue]

Irmgard Behnke: Schönheit – überdimensioniert und winzig klein, Salzgitter-Zeitung, 10.8.2009

Josef Woodhard: Beauteous mysteries below, News Press, Santa Barbara, 10.7.2009

Thomas Linden: Schachtelhalm und Erbsenfeld, Kölnische Rundschau, 13.3.2009

2009, Wildlings From The Deep – An Exhibition of Undersea Photography, exh. cat. Wildling Art Museum, Los Olivos, California

2008 G.Müller-Zimmermann: 'Reise in eine Bildwelt', Siegener Zeitung, 21.11.2008

2008 'Claudia Fährenkemper. Artist project on Micro/Macro - Change of Dimensions', Blackflash, Photography and New Media in Art, # 26.2, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, poster and pp.4,6

2008 Anke Schwarze: 'Neue Dimensionen', Westfälischer Anzeiger, 30.7.2008

2008 Manuel Jennen: 'Schau mir ins Auge Wanze!', Münstersche Zeitung, 13.06.2008

2008 Anja Martin: 'Kleine Wunder', Fotomagazin 9/2008, S. 6-12

2008 'IMAGO - Insect Portraits - Claudia Fährenkemper', texts by Sabina Lessmann, Olaf Breidbach; 144 pages, hardcover; editors Friedrich-Hundt-Gesellschaft, Art Galerie Siegen, Kunstverein Unna; publisher DruckVerlag Kettler GmbH, Bönen, 2008, ISBN 978-3-941100-09-1
Special Edition: Two different images of insect portraits as silver gelatin prints are available. 20x25cm / 8x10”, Edition 30+3ap each, 500,- Euro (incl. VAT) + shipping
Order this Special Edition

2008 IMAGO Insektenportraits - Christiane Vielhaber interviews Claudia Fährenkemper, WDR3 'Mosaik', 17.06.2008

2007 "Claudia Fährenkemper: PLANKTOS"; ed. Natascha Mehlhop, Brussels Flamingo, Text: Prof. Dr. Dr. Olaf Breidbach, 48 pages, 13 photos, Novaton, DruckVerlag Kettler, Bönen, ISBN: 978-3-939825-55-5

2007 Deutsche Welle, Euromaxx, May 29, 2007

2007 "Glühwürmchen? Strahlentierchen? Königskerze? - Wunderliche fotografische Portraits von Claudia Fährenkemper", Werkbuch zur Ausstellung im Kunstmuseum Bonn mit Texten von Sabina Leßmann und Olaf Breidbach, ISBN 3-929790-83-1

2007 Klaus Hausmann, "Claudia Fährenkemper - Eine Fotokünstlerin zwischen Extremdimensionen" in: Mikrokosmos, Zeitschrift für Mikroskopie, Heft 1, 96. Jahrgang, pp. 43-48, ISSN 0026-3680

2007 Olaf Breidbach, "Rasterungen des Mikroskopischen - Bemerkungen zu Claudia Fährenkempers Bildserien", in: politik und kultur, Zeitung des Deutschen Kulturrats, No. 03/07 (May - June) pp. 10, 11

2006 "Wahr-Zeichen. Fotografie und Wissenschaft", Ausstellungskatalog, Hrsg.: Andreas Krase, Agnes Matthias, Technische Sammlungen Dresden. Museen der Stadt Dresden / TU Dresden, page 36-39, ISBN 3-86005-537-2

2006 Jacques Doyon, "Claudia Fährenkemper microcosms", Ann Thomas "Interpreting the Microcosm through Photographs", in: CV ciel variable # 70 (01.2006), Montréal, pp. 22-28

2005 Deutsche-Welle TV 'euromax', 27.05.05: Riesengross - Eine deutsche Fotografin zeigt Pflanzen und Insekten in 3000facher Vergrößerung.


2005 Photomicrographs, 'Portfolio' Claudia Fährenkemper, Text by Anne Kotzan; in: SCHARZWEISS 46, June/July 2005, pp. 58-65, 18 ill., Tecklenborg Verlag, Steinfurt, ISSN 1433-2809


2005 "Einladung ins Zwergenreich - Fliegenköpfe, Froschlarven, Pflanzenkeime: Die Mikrofotografien von Claudia Fährenkemper zeigen die Parallelwelt des Unsichtbaren". pp. 66-71, 11 ill., Süddeutsche Zeitung WISSEN, No.3, May 2005, Süddeutsche Zeitung GmbH, München, 2004

2004 "Claudia Fährenkemper – Photomicrographs", Christiane Stahl - Alfred-Ehrhardt-Stiftung (editor), texts: Ann Thomas, Ludger Derenthal, Ostfildern-Ruit 2004, Hatje Cantz Verlag, 116 pages, ISBN 3-7757-1456-1

2004 Claudia Fährenkemper, “Scanning Electron Microscopy – a state of the art method of generating images”, in: Jörg Boström and Gottfried Jäger (editors), 'Kann Fotografie unsere Zeit in Bilder fassen? / Can Photography Capture our Times in Images?', Bielefeld 2004, Kerber Verlag, pp. 173-177, ISBN 3-936646-69-4

2003 "Einblicke in Privatsammlungen – Zeitgenössische Fotografie", Ute Eskildsen (editor) exhibition catalogue, Museum Folkwang, Essen

2002 Claudia Fährenkemper, “Images from the Microcosm”, in: Gottfried Jäger (editor), The Art of Abstract Photography, Arnoldsche Verlagsanstalt, Stuttgart 2002, pp. 194–213, ISBN 3-89790-015-7

2001 Denis Brudna, “Claudia Fährenkemper – Imago,” in Photonews 2-Feb 2001, Hamburg 2001

1995 Frauenkulturbüro NRW. Künstlerinnen in NRW, Dortmund and Zurich

1995 "Dicht am Leben – close to Life", 3. Internationale Foto-Triennale Esslingen, Renate Damsch-Wiehager (editor), exhibition catalogue, Villa Merkel, Bahnwärterhaus, Galerien der Stadt Esslingen am Neckar, Ostfildern-Ruit 1995, Hatje Cantz Verlag, pp. 38-41, ISBN 3-89322-490-4

1993 "Claudia Fährenkemper. Fördergeräte im Braunkohlentagebau", Dr. Ulrika Evers-Hultsch (editor), texts: Ulrika Evers-Hultsch, Reinhold Happel, Claudia Gabriele-Philipp, exhibition catalogue (Schriftenreihe des Kreismuseum Peine Nr. 8), Kreismuseum Peine 1993

IMAGES FROM THE MICROCOSM
Photography is a medium, which sensitizes our perception and offers us new possibilities of viewing things. My photomicrographs reveal a world, which is only visible through a scanning electron microscope. It is a very new approach to sculptures and spaces in the microcosm. My main focus is not the illustration of special facts but the sensual experience of perfect and complex tiny forms.

I have been working with a scanning electron microscope since 1996. My aim was to make the microcosm visible, which normally only scientists have access to, showing this hidden world of filigree constructions, their richness of morpho-logical details.
In addition I was keen to work out the special abilities of this imaging technique, especially the threedimensional and detailed impression of forms.
In spite of their realism, these photographs are always mysterious, magical and surreal in a particular way. Their materiality often trigger a variety of interpretations which can be completely different from the original fact.

In my photomicrographs I combine digital and classical photography in a hybrid process. First the images are scanned, then get exposed on black and white rollfilm (format 6x7) in a camera which is connected with the microscope. It is important for the results, that the scanning step is not visible, so the photos are characterized by high quality and an illusion of reality. This starts the comparison with images of the visible world.

For enhancing the three-dimensional impression isolation, fragmentation and monumentalisation of forms are necessary decisions in the imaging process.
My silvergelatine prints are between 50x60cm/80x100cm. The print enlargement and presentation intensify the impression of sculpture and space.

My former work with a grandview camera on a project in the strip mining area was important for my recent photography. First working on a series of construction details of huge mining machines, it followed a large documentation of strip mine excavators all over Germany.
My focus has always been on the precise imaging of morphological details as well as the construction and function of the huge dynamic and mobile machines.
An additional important aspect of this documentation was the relationship of man, machine and landscape, so human beings were often used as a “scale”.

Of course my earlier work with machines has influenced my present work and my way of perceiving nature. The way we look at nature today, in a cooler, more dissective way, has become completely different from the romantic and enthusiastic view in the period of the beginning 20th century (Nouveau Realism). The influence of scientific imaging instruments on our perception of nature has been enormous.

In view of the increasing dominance of science (biology, biotechnology, bioinformation, bionics, nanotechnology etc.) with consequences for our cultural and social life and nature itself we are asked to investigate practical uses of new imaging techniques and ways of perception.

Photomicroscopy throw a new light on the microcosm and gives us an idea of relationships in our world. The conceptual work in series make comparisons possible and show us the variety and individuality of forms.


My series of photomicrographs
Since 1996 when I started with the series Imago the spectrum of living beings I explore with the microscope has expanded. Beside insects (Imago) I am studying amphibian larvae (Metamorphose), and seeds (Embryo) . The choice of the titles represent the different phases of life. Working further on these series, I started photographing crystals in 2002.
All series refer to the human being, remind us of embryonal and foetal development, of portraits, gestures and habitation. The microcosm seems to be strange for us but in fact there are surprising similarities to our cosm.

The series of seeds is called Embryo (greek), germ of a living being. botany: the developed plant in the grain of seed. zoology and anthropology: the developing organism out of a fertilized egg cell, being in a cover, an egg shell or a body.

The series of amphibian larvae is called Metamorphose (greek), change, transformation of forms. zoology: a development in which the hatching animal is very different from the final shape. Most of the insects but also vertebrates, like frogs, are first in the state and mode of living as a larva and later change into a pupa.

The series of insects is called Imago (latin “image”). zoology: adult insect which has passed through all states of development.

The series of crystals is called Habitus (latin), appearance and behavior, habit.
Form/shape of human beings, animals, plants and crystals. Crystal habit: shape of a crystal appearance, for example prismatic, like pillars, needles or sheets.

The photomicrographs show the originalobjects with a magnification of 30 to 3000 times.The photographic enlargement has to be added.

I am grateful to the Zoological Research Institute and Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, for using the Scanning electron microscope for my photomicroscopy. Without the kindness and support of Prof. Dr. Michael Schmitt and Karin Ulmen this work would not have been possible.

e-mail Claudia Fährenkemper www.claudia-faehrenkemper.com