Landscape / Nature | Winner
Sebastian Mölleken
Oberhausen www.moelleken-fotografie.de
Opencast mining
Concept
The portfolio deals with the Garzweiler opencast mining site and the wounds its excavators tear in the heart of the world of nature. They rip through layer after layer of the earth and in doing this, through time itself. Sand, rocks and layers of wood are suddenly brought to the light of day after millions of years lying hidden. Newly created topographies reveal the enormous influence of man on the landscape.
Vita
Sebastian Mölleken, Oberhausen
1999: Abitur German school leavers’ qualification; 2000: Alternative civilian service; 2001: One-year internship at maxschulzstudio photography studio; 2002–2009: Photo Design degree at the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts; 2009: Diploma for the photo book A40 in association with Professor Jörg Winde and Norbert Hüttermann; since 2005: Freelance photographer
Exhibitions: 2008: Unser Fritz – Welten am Fluss, an Emschergenossenschaft project; 2009: Diploma exhibition at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts; 2009: Pixelprojekt_Ruhrgebiet – Neuaufnahmen 2008/2009; 2009: Nachbarschaft, Clervaux – cité de l’image, Luxembourg; 2010: Unten. Brüche und Vitalität der Metropolen Istanbul / Ruhrgebiet
Jury Statement
A landscape in the throes of change in almost unimaginable dimensions, the eyes can hardly take it in. With his work, OPENCAST’, Sebastian Mölleken’s acute vision, faultless composition and conceptually-oriented image processing that goes far beyond mere visualisation, reveals powerful imagery that stands as an equal to the overwhelming power of his subject.