HEAVEN ON EARTH by MASAYUKI AKAMATSU + WOLF NKOLE HELZLE

Masayuki Akamatsu and Wolf Nkole Helzle got to know and appreciate each other at the Ogaki Biennale in Japan in 2004. They have been in dialogue both artistically and as friends ever since. In these 20 years, they have had many joint projects and exhibitions, both in Japan and in Germany and Europe.

To mark their 20th anniversary, they are presenting an exhibition concept with their latest works, both of which are based on the principle of travelling. Akamatsu traces the paths of the stars in his work cycle „Thales‘ Engraving“ and Helzle layers images from his travel diary in his work cycle „SIMULTANEITIES“.
In this project, we are also planning to incorporate the movement of artists. In other words, this project is the artists‘ journey, and it is the result of a journey from Japan to Germany.
Masayuki Akamatsu‘s work „Thales Engraving‘‘ is a collection of photographs and videos of the starry sky taken using special equipment. This looks like a star trail, that is, the movement of the stars, but the image is actually formed not only by the stars but also by the movement of the Earth and the imaging equipment.
The „SIMULTANEITIES“ series by Wolf Nkole Helzle is based on tens of thousands of photographs and videos that he has taken while travelling to many countries. Special transformation and selection processes are used to create new, non-linear images. Images from a possible simultaneity of different events.

A selection will be on display at Reutlingen City Library in 2024.