1h

Hans-Christian Schink (1961 in Erfurt) employs an effect called “real solarization” in his series 1h. Negative film can only be exposed to a certain point, for if one tries to continue the exposure later, the photochemical process is reversed and the darkest points in the negative become light again. This special process was first described by photography pioneer William Henry Jackson in 1857; for Schink, a 1955 picture by Minor White titled Black Sun was a source of inspiration. For 1h, he deliberately chose to use the real solarization process combined with an extremely long exposure time. Due to the earth’s motion, the sun looks like a black streak in the sky. Thus, by applying classic photographic means, Schink manages to achieve novel, singular images. 1h is blanketed with sites that manifest in a transitory state between image and reality, while Schink explores one of the key issues of photography: the ability to create an image of reality.