Michael Wesely

Munich, 1963. Lives in Berlin

With his formative years set against a Cold War backdrop, the photographer experienced the drastic processes of spatial, social and cultural transformation his country has undergone, all of which has honed his perception of time and historical recovery. Armed with large-format cameras, Michael Wesely began experimenting with overexposure in long-duration analogical photographic processes that enabled him to capture images that accumulate the movements, agents, passages, disputes and processes typical of the contemporary city, whether in Germany or abroad. Between 1997 and 1999, the artist documented the reconstruction of the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. In addition to depicting the square itself, the images also register what would become its defining characteristic, accentuating the ever-changing cityscape.

Familiar with Brazil’s urban reality and the local political context, at Frestas Wesely presents four photographs from a series taken on April 17, 2016, the day the Chamber of Deputies voted in favor of opening impeachment proceedings against former President Dilma Rousseff, elected in 2014 and ousted from office in August 2016. Taken digitally, but using overexposure with large-format cameras and very sharp lenses, the artist photographed street rallies at two traditional gathering spots in São Paulo: Vale do Anhangabaú, downtown, where an anti-impeachment protest took place; and Paulista Avenue, where a pro-impeachment rally was held. The photographic result symbolically captures the democratic schism and political crisis currently assailing Brazil. Among haphazard overlappings and smeared movements, the artist conveys a historical moment that will take many years to assimilate.

[D. M.]