Matthias Hoch »Silver Tower«

Matthias Hoch comes from the strong tradition of architectural photography, a tradition as long as that of photography itself. Based in Leipzig he has been exploring the ubiquitous formal language of modern European urban development. Through his images of buildings, interiors, exteriors and details he views the built object as social art, reflecting a concrete historical situation.Objects, be they buildings or office chairs, are observed precisely and with a keen sense of surface. The views he presents seem virtually impossible to localize. They document Hoch’s critical, analytical approach to the space around us, yet they also exhibit a distinctive sculptural quality. Here at his second exhibition at Galerie Nordenhake he focuses on a significant landmark of Frankfurt’s financial district. The Silver Tower was the former headquarters of the now defunct Dresdner Bank. Founded in 1872, it was one of Germany's largest banks. When the 166 meter high-rise building opened in 1978 it was the tallest building in Germany. The futuristic tower, with its aluminum façade, was designed by ABB architects and Otl Aicher. A central theme of rounded corners is repeated throughout the floor plan, the building, the windows, pillars, information signs, and so on. Hoch began to take photographs of the once state-of-the-art tower after the takeover by its competitor Commerzbank in 2009. In its deserted state he conducted a visual research of the vacant space, looking for the legacy of a bank: an empty safe, leather armchairs, marks on the carpet, inoperable network cables, the bank's logo on a windowpane. In lucid compositions Hoch exposes the building’s materials in all of their austere sensuality. The series is about the process of disappearance, and it gives an insight into a closed system, which has expired. Matthias Hoch was born in Radebeul, Dresden in 1958 and lives and works in Leipzig. Solo exhibitions include Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst Aachen, Studio d'Arte Contemporanea Pino Casagrande, Rome (2006), Kunstverein Heilbronn, Lindenau-Museum Altenburg (2005), Kunsthalle Bremen (2002). He has participated in group shows at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, Kunsthalle Erfurt (2009), Cobra Museum, Amstelveen (2008). In 2003 he won the Villa Massimo scholarship in Rome. Opening: 18th November, 17.00 - 20.00 Exhibition period: 19th November – 22nd December, 2010 Opening hours: Tuesday - Friday 11.00 - 18.00, Saturday - Sunday 12.00 - 16.00 Installation views are available after the opening at www.nordenhake.com. Please contact the gallery for further information and press images.