PORTRAIT OF BERLIN

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I like the aspect that it is a timely piece – Rankin on ‘Portrait of Berlin’

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On Saturday, April 30th 2016 for the last time before its reconstruction, the KaDeWe Atrium will serve as a platform for the Rankin Live concept, in the form of an outstanding installation: a huge custom built photographic portrait studio, with hair and make-up stations as part of the experience. These unique portraits, taken at the live event, will be arranged by Rankin and KaDeWe into a visually striking artwork to be exhibited along a 5m high and 110m long street level gallery, covering the store during the takeoff of its renovation. Displayed for a limited time only. In a conversation with Rankin, the artist tells us:

“I was a fan of bringing Rankin live to Berlin from the very beginning..I like the aspect that it is a timely piece. It comes and then it’s gone…Portrait of Berlin is this idea to showcase a contemporary urban picture of this fastpaced city utilising large scale black and white portraits of some of its inhabitants. Berlin is changing so fast at the moment that I like the timely aspect of the exhibition. It’s basically a snapshot of this vibrant city. Things will have progressed a little by then.”

Members of the public will have the opportunity to experience one of the biggest photo shoots in Germany and to be photographed by Rankin.

Rankin Live / Behind The Scenes © Rankin
Rankin Live / Behind The Scenes © Rankin

In addition, dedicated viewing areas with exclusive Rankomats – selfie booths configured by Rankin Studios – will be set up to allow a wider audience to participate in the event.

How to become a part of #PortraitOfBerlin

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Over a three-weeks period, starting today, twenty of you can be assured to have their photo taken by Rankin live at KaDeWe Berlin on Saturday, April 30th 2016, no cueing needed on the day as we will schedule you in prior to the event.

Here is how it works: Take a selfie or upload an interesting portrait of you and let us know what makes you a #portraitofberlin.  Try again the following week for another chance.

Show us who are the people making Berlin such a great city to live in. Collectively, we are creating a #PortraitofBerlin. Each of the three Sundays, between 10.04.16 & 27.04.16 at 5pm that weeks portraits will be announced.  We will pick out five, another five and then ten more of you, week by week, with the last chance on  Sunday, April 24th. Follow KaDeWe Berlin on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or just watch out on #portraitofberlin for further information. You can start sending your pictures now!

Berlin is not about beauty, it’s about character.

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Self-portrait © Rankin

 

“I think every city has its aesthetics doesn’t it?”  Rankin told WWD in an interview last week.

As the interview continues: “I don’t know what it will be like in Berlin. I haven’t been in a while. There are a lot of British people that go to Berlin. Artists make a beeline because it’s a place to create art. It’s a creative community. I’ve got friends who live there full time. Loads of my friends have gone and spent time there. I like Germany, in general. I do a lot with Heidi Klum, obviously. It’s a great place to visit.”  “I love taking pictures of different people,” he said. “To represent it on the store hoarding while it’s being redone, it’s really a big thing. It’s a real treat. It’s what I enjoy doing the most — taking pictures of people. I love the idea, it’s not celebrities. I love photographing everybody. I like people for the sake of what they are as people, not fame.”

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Pre-visualisation of the exhibition on the hoardings

 

Please note that  you must be over 18 to join this campaign. Have a read through the full guidelines of participation here.

There would be no #PortraitofBerlin without ‘Ostkreuz’

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Ostkreuz is a renowned agency of photographers that has been existing in Berlin for over 25 years by now, collectively founded in 1990 by seven photographers of former East Germany.  Many things have changed in more than 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989. Nowadays, Ostkreuz combines three generations of photographers from both, East and West.

A topic of their united interest is naturally Berlin, a city that had to grow back together at first, after its long years of separation.  A constant transition and movement in the air, changing Berlin into one of the most fascinating metropoles of Europe today.  Ostkreuz photographers have accompanied these 25 years of changes with their camera in this sense creating one of the most powerful portraits of Berlin, a portrait of an ever changing city and its photographers, a city attracting people from all across the globe for its uniqueness.

The story of Ostkreuz may be told best through the photographers participating in the collective. Constant exchange of ideas, thoughts and opinions on eachothers works have driven Ostkreuz photographers from the very beginning. The photographers of Ostkreuz regularly meet up to dicuss their latest works – this intense exchange is genuin for the agency.

 

Zeitungslesender Tourist am Strand, August 2015, Kos, Insel Kos, Griechenland, Europa
© Jörg Brüggemann/OSTKREUZ Tourist reading the newspaper, island of Kos, Greece, August 2015

 

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Variously casting herself, American artist Cindy Sherman is a master of masquerade

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Cindy Sherman, now 61, has created an unmistakable and seminal body of work that broke new ground in photography. Throughout her career she has simultaneously acted as her own actress and photographer, subject and object. And yet her portraits do not represent actual personalities. Instead they paraphrase social and cultural stereotypes with the aim of deconstructing them through the prism of cinema, classical painting, or advertising.The exhibition ‘Cindy Sherman – Works from the Olbricht Collection’ on display at the me Collectors Room Berlin, features 65 photographs by the artist. Including works from almost all periods of her career, the collection provides a remarkable overview of the entire body of work. An enormous inspiration to all those contemplating on portrait photography and selfie culture.

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Cindy Sherman, Untitled # 96, 1981 © Courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures, New York

 

As a result of the high level of interest, the exhibition has now been extended until 28 August 2016. We give away 2×2 tickets, kindly sponsored by me Collectors Room Berlin / Stiftung Olbricht. Simply post the reason why you would love to have the free tickets to #portraitofberlin #me_collectors. We will reach out to the winners by Friday, 01.04.2016.

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Cindy Sherman – Works from the Olbricht Collection, Installationsansicht, installation view, 2015 © me Collectors Room Berlin, Photo Bernd Borchardt

 

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Synonymous with compelling portraiture, Rankin’s lens captures, creates and unveils icons

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Rankin is a British photographer, publisher, film director and humanitarian. With a portfolio ranging from portraiture to documentary, he has shot The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Kate Moss, and The Queen to name only a few.

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Pete Doherty, 2009 © Rankin

 

Having co-founded the magazine Dazed & Confused, Rankin has remained a prevalent force in publishing and has over 42 photography books to his name. He continues to direct commercials and music videos for some of the biggest artists and brands, as well as directing and producing numerous documentaries and dramas.

Gif animation: Rankin, Self-Portrait
Self-portrait © Rankin

 

Rankin is regularly exhibited in galleries around the world, as well as his own London gallery.

Read this article where Rankin Recaps His 10 Favorite Photo Shoots From ‘Hunger’ Magazine (NSFW)

& Visit his website for more about Rankin & his artwork:  http://rankin.co.uk/

KaDeWe presents Rankin Live #portraitofberlin

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On Saturday, April 30th 2016 for the last time before its reconstruction, the KaDeWe Atrium will serve as a platform for an outstanding installation: a huge custom built photographic portrait studio, with hair and make-up stations as part of the experience. Members of the public will have the opportunity to take part in one of the biggest photo shoots in Germany and to be photographed by Rankin, whose iconic images have included everyone from David Bowie, Jay-Z, Vivienne Westwood and Kate Moss to the Queen.  

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Montage of Rankin Live Portraits © Rankin

 

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