Christian Reister and Christoph Schieder would have liked it better in the last lockdown winter



It is not known which topics Christian Reister and Christoph Schieder talked about on their nightly walks with beer and camera. What has been handed down, however, are photographs that the two skilled strollers brought back from these walks in the lockdown winter of 2020/2021 and that are now appear in this large-format publication.

The 24-page, A3 booklet with the beautiful German title “schöner wärs wenns schöner wär” („it would be nicer if it were nicer“) is minimalist and designed with great attention to detail. The title, for example, which runs across the black cover and the first inside page, is screen-printed by hand. In contrast to the large format black-and-white photographs by Christian Reister, the mostly small-format color photographs by Christoph Schieder are coated with a varnish and printed on different paper so that the images of the two photographers contrast with each other with their color scheme and size.

While Schieder’s photographs focus primarily on the details of the Berlin night, Reister often looks at the deserted big picture. The fact that Schieder, who by his own account was rather melancholy through the winter, chose gaudy colors for his work, while the more optimistic Reister preferred black and white with a tendency toward deep black. This accounts for much of the appeal of the compilation of images in the publication and exhibition. Thus, despite all the lockdown tristesse, both photographers are confident that things will eventually become more beautiful again.

schöner wärs wenns schöner wär

Christian Reister and Christoph Schieder
24-page booklet, DIN A3, paperback, 47 photographs, self-published, limited, numbered edition of 200 pieces. Available from the artists and selected bookstores.
christianreister.com | christophschieder.com

Aug 15 — 29, 2021
Opening Reception & Book Presentation: Saturday, Aug 14, 7 pm

Kunstwild

Eschenstraße 4, 12161 Berlin
[District: Friedenau | Borough: Tempelhof-Schöneberg]

Opening hours: Sun 3 – 6 pm, and by appointment

Admission free