Journey to the center of photography

Since the early 1970s, Hamburg-based artist and photographer Wolfgang Soeder has dedicated himself to a fascinating task: sifting through collections of images that others have long since disposed of or labeled as meaningless. Like an archaeologist searching for hidden treasures in dusty layers of the past, he rummages for anonymous photographs in archives, at household liquidations and at flea markets. Soeder is not interested in mere nostalgia - he is looking for images with potential, photographs that seem inconspicuous at first glance, but in which he recognizes stories and possibilities that are just waiting to be brought to light.

His in-depth training laid the foundation for his current work. From 1974 to 1977, he learned the art of analog photography in its most original form from his master Gertrud Hentschel: working with 13x18cm glass plates as negatives. This experience not only shaped his technical understanding, but also his eye for detail and appreciation of photographic craftsmanship. In addition to his own artistic work, Soeder also works in the background for well-known national and international photographers and renowned archives. His expertise and tireless pursuit of perfection make him a sought-after partner in the world of photography, where he works as a silent master behind the scenes, helping others to perfect their visual worlds.

Soeder is not only a photographer, but also a painter and a person with a special connection to the world. His travels have taken him to the most remote corners - from India to China, Japan and Nepal. These experiences subtly flow into his works and lend them a universal, almost timeless quality. They reflect the diversity and profundity of his view of the world, which he incorporates into his art. What sets Soeder apart is his intuitive flair: at a glance, he realizes that a photograph tells more than it initially reveals. Where others see banal snapshots or old prints, he recognizes narrative depth, hidden emotions or the potential for a completely new level of meaning.

He elicits these stories from the images through his virtuoso editing. However, his work is not always romantic or harmless. As a true "archaeologist of photography", Soeder does not shy away from taking on challenges that are harmful to his health. He works with severely damaged, often decades-old image carriers, which are often characterized by their very last signs of decay. He considers these adverse circumstances necessary in order to offer forgotten pictures a new stage. He tirelessly cleans, restores and processes these fragments until their original expressiveness - or a completely new one - emerges. In his workshop, Soeder transforms these often faded or damaged images into works of art that open up surreal, intersubjective worlds. He reworks, collages, paints over or combines them with other media until they leave their original form behind and become something new. This results in works that seem simultaneously strange and familiar - like memories of dreams we have never dreamed or fragments of a collective subconscious.

Wolfgang Soeder has a credo that characterizes his work and makes his drive clear: "Something to say about today's photography!" This self-image stems not only from his decades of experience, but also from his conviction that photography constantly needs new perspectives and narrative styles in order to evolve and touch people. Today, after decades of intensive work and experience, Soeder lives this credo in every one of his works. His works are more than aesthetic experiments - they are reflections on the medium itself. He sees photography as an ongoing dialog between past and present, between original and interpretation. With each image that he reinterprets, he not only brings his personal perspective, but also a message that speaks to us all: photographs are not just images, but stories waiting to be told. Soeder's works captivate us with their magic: they tell stories that have never been written and allow us as viewers to embark on a journey of discovery.

In his hands, pictures become time machines that invite us to find our own interpretations. We are touched by them and connected to them in an intimate, almost meditative way. With his art, Wolfgang Soeder has discovered a niche that radically expands and updates classic photography. He is not only a preserver, but also a re-creator and re-interpreter, a magician who shows us that even the most inconspicuous things harbor a spark of beauty and meaning.

Siegfried Sander, Gallery MULTIPLEBOX Hamburg