Petrov Ahner

After starting out in fashion photography in Munich and Miami, I moved to Paris in 1994, where I continued my fashion work in various domains with editorial fashion shootings, catalogues, campaigns, backstage photography and direct collaborations with fashion designers on an international level. At the same time I started out in portrait and reportage photography.

Clients

Designers:

Jean-Paul Knott, Cerruti 1881, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Bermhard Willhelm, Lutz

Magazines:

High Fashion , Elle Japan, Elle Belgium, Depeche Mode, DS, Perso, Jalouse,

Tracks, Upstreet

Committed Photography

During the years, the commitment for cultural, political and social focal points took on a greater significance for me. This manifested when, in summer 2009, I started to work with so-called “sans- papiers” (without papers), illegal immigrants, who were occupying a vacant administration building in Paris.

After having witnessed their actions for several months, I installed a photo studio in the central and open space on site to invite the occupants to pose in front of the camera using the technique of  portrait photography.

At the end of 2009 I to moved to Berlin.

Current projects vary between collaborations with visual artists (exhibition-, performance- and installation photography), comissioned work and personal projects.

Current Projects

Berlin Beauty

is a long term project created in 2011 focusing on portrait series and collaborations reflecting the way of life and beauty in contemporary Berlin.

The project is based on my experiences of 15 years in high fashion in Paris and the artistic and engaged approach of my works in Berlin.
Initially it was inspired by the way people are currently being pulled towards a city that is defined by constant deconstruction, reconstruction and fluctuation. Often in Berlin, you can find both uglyness and beauty occurring at the same moment and place. It is this contradiction that makes the city exceptional and challenging.

„People and faces represent, leave an imprint, create the look and rhythm of a city. Next to its architecture, history, politics and landscape they are the living and creating part of it, they reflect the city as the city reflects them. “

berlinbeauty.org

Portraits of Whistleblowers:

After starting to collaborate with the Whistleblower e.V in December 2009 I realized portraits of Whistleblowers all over Germany. This led to several exhibitions and public discussions in 2011.

The project still continues and the next exhibition is planned for the end of March 2012 at the European Parliament in Brussels.

http://petrovahner.net/2011/05/17/whistleblower-auststellung-im-kunsthaus-tacheles/

Exhibitions

June 17-July 17  2011 Silver Silver Lopez Project-Room

FocusDiversion /// Luxury Homes, Group Exhibition 

May 21 –May 29  2011 Goldener Saal Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin

Whistleblower-Licht ins Dunkle bringen

April 8- May 3 2011 New Gallery Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin

Nuclear Unfair, Group Exhibition

April 2 2011 Bauchhund Gallery. Berlin

Werkschau 5 Years, Group Exhibition

Feb 13- Mar 30 2011 New Gallery Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin

Werkschau 21 Years, Group Exhibition

Jan 21- Feb 11 2011 Abnormals Gallery,Berlin

Fashion Weak, Group Exhibition

Oct 8- Nov 5 2010 New Gallery Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin

Burned Condition, Site specific photo installation

Oct 1- Nov 5 2010 sineDie ProjectRoom, Berlin

1984, Photo exhibition Orvar+Petrov

Sept 28 2010 Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin

I support Tacheles Wall, Permanent installation

Sept 4 2010 Abnormal Gallery

Self-Possessions by Andrea Penzo and Christina Fiore

Installation Photos Petrov Ahner

Mar 2010 Espace le vend se leve Paris

Stepping out of the dark, Slideshow of portraits of illigal immigrants

2007 Galerie Vie, Tokio

The Belgium Way

2002 Museum of Fashion and textiles, Louvre, Paris

Track 2, Track-Magazine

2000 Museum of Fashion and textiles, Louvre, Paris

Motiv,  Viktor and Rolf

1999 Carusel du Louvre, Paris

What is fashion?, Beaux Art Magazine

1997 Les Moulins de Paris

100 Degrée, Photo and Film Installation

Collaborations: German Institute for Human Rights, Arthouse Tacheles, TAZ,
Abnormals Gallery Berlin& Poznan, Gallery Bauchhund, SineDie Project-Room, Silver Silver Lopez Project-Room

Artist Collaborations: Amaru Cholango, Barbara Fragogna, Karen Haase, Orvar, Andrea Penzo& Cristina Fiore, Alexander Rodin , Miriam Wuttke