Blossfeldt exhibit at Oriel

Art Forms in Nature, an exhibition by renowned botanist and photographer Karl Blossfeldt, presented in association with the Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre in London, will be on display at the Oriel Gallery, Clotworthy House from until September 14.

Blossfeldt (1865-1932) was a German photographer celebrated by the Surrealists and early modernists for his pioneering close-up images of plants and flora.

Trained as a sculptor he was also an amateur botanist, fascinated by the underlying structures of nature. 

He created his extraordinary catalogue of studies of natural forms as a teaching tool for the benefit of artists, artisans and architects.

Over three decades, Blossfeldt produced 6,000 photographs, using a homemade camera and lens that could magnify a subject by 30 times.

Blossfeldt was celebrated for discovering a hitherto ‘unknown universe’ and for his exemplary technical feats as a photographer.

Cathy Brown, Arts Officer with Antrim Borough Council, said: “We are delighted to work in conjunction with the distinguished Hayward Gallery in London once again and to have work of this stature on show in the Oriel Gallery.

“This touring exhibition consists of 40 photogravures from an original German portfolio, ‘Wundergarten der Natur’ 1932, edited by Blossfeldt and published in the year of his death. It’s sure to be of great interest to art and nature lovers alike.”