Christopher Thomas

Christopher Thomas began his career as an advertiser for German magazines including GEO, Stern, Merian and others. In recent years he has concentrated his efforts on creating portraits of cities including Paris, Venice, the Engadin and New York. Thomas uses Polaroid film and long exposure techniques for this ongoing series.

Christopher brings to Venice his unique style of city portraiture with these captivating, atmospheric images, originally established with New York Sleeps (2009) and Münchner Elegien (Munich Elegies, 2001–2005). He transports us to a silent city, devoid of human presence, which could remind us of photographs from the 19th century, when the photographic image was not fast enough to capture the quickening pace of human activity. The exhibition includes classical views of the Canal Grande, the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge and others. 

 

Armed with a compass, azimuth and sun chart, pen and notebook, Thomas would roam the city at the crack of dawn to find the view he wanted to capture. The photographic material he uses – most of which is no longer produced today – ensures that the images are rich in detail. Thomas’ own eye, sensitivity and technical skill enabled pictures to emerge that return the city to its historical roots, with a sense of mystery. 

 

“It is an attempt to recover the serenity of Venice found in pictures from the 19th century and to release the city from mass tourism.” - Christopher Thomas

 

In early 2012, alongside Hamiltons exhibiting these works for the first time, Prestel Publishers released Christopher Thomas: Venice in Solitude, with 75 images and text by the renowned poet Albert Ostermaier.