The artist Steffen Diemer, born in 1966, began his career as a photojournalist, publishing in renowned media outlets such as Stern and Spiegel. After experiencing burnout in 2011, he turned away from reportage photography and started focusing on slower-paced, artistic projects. During this period, he discovered the wet plate collodion process, a historical photographic technique from the 19th century. After intensive study, Diemer mastered this demanding process, which involves exposing photographs on glass plates.
His current project, the book Wakame, is dedicated to algae as both an artistic and scientific subject. Inspired by a historical algae herbarium from the 19th century that his life partner discovered in an antiquarian bookstore, Diemer showcased the dried and pressed algae in a new light. With great creativity and technical precision, he photographed around 120 algae specimens and transformed them into unique works of art. Using minimal lighting and long exposure times, he emphasized the delicate beauty of the algae.
The book bridges natural history, art, and photography. Diemer’s work presents algae not merely as scientific objects but as aesthetic creations that redefine the relationship between nature and art. The project highlights the essential role of algae in evolution and serves as a metaphor for the threats to and preservation of our environment.
Wakame
Photographs by Steffen Diemer
With a text by Hans-Michael Koetzle
Designed by Joana Bravo
124 pages
Hardcover book, 21 x 16 cm
Limited edition of 200 book copies
Special edition box of 10, each including a book and a wet plate collodion photograph on black glass
Published and released by the(M) éditions and Ira Stehmann Fine Art, October 2024
