Anders Petersen: Napoli | Spot Home Gallery
© Anders Petersen, Napoli 2022
Written by Grecia Espinoza
Photo Edited by Lyz Rider
For Anders Petersen, photography is an act of inquiry, a means through which one delves into the soul of the Other to arrive at the center of the Self. Petersen, the Swedish master of photography, presents a collection of work titled Napoli, showcasing at Spot Home Gallery. Napoli is a curated selection of the photographs Petersen took in Naples during Spot’s first artist residency in 2022.
© Anders Petersen, Napoli 2022
Petersen’s photography is recognized for its distinct ability to capture the full range of the human experience. His early photographs depict the vibrant nightlife of Café Lehmitz, a bar in Hamburg, Germany. The subjects in the photographs beam with complexities; they are prostitutes, drunks, transgender individuals, lovers, bartenders, and souls ensnared by addiction. The resonance of these images lies not in their quest to immortalize the subject but in their ability to lay bare the fragments of lives lived on their own terms. Petersen’s lens narrates their stories of glory and tragedy without judgment or bias. Peering at the photographs, one is filled with a knowing that the subjects living inside of them exist not as we want them to but simply as they are. Much of this freedom of spirit is preserved in striking images curated for this exhibition.
© Anders Petersen, Napoli 2022
In the Napoli collection, Petersen presents a series of approximately sixty black-and-white photographs ranging in size. Through Petersen’s lens, Naples emerges in stark contrast to the colorful imagery often associated with the city. His Naples is marked by juxtaposition; it is a world of deep and dark shadows and glaring highlights. A visual dichotomy that may be seen as a metaphor for the duality of life, a mirror held up to the human face of contradictions. It is difficult to imagine Petersen’s universe without this signature aesthetic without losing the very essence that lends his world a tender touch of humanity.
© Anders Petersen, Napoli 2022
Another notable hallmark of Petersen's approach is marked by an intense closeness to his subjects. His images- whether in the form of close-ups, fleeting snapshots, poised portraits, or askew shots- draw the viewer into intimate proximity. At times, this nearness is so pronounced that it distorts the vantage point, offering a unique and, at times, disorienting perspective on the subject. For Petersen, this closeness is not just physical but spiritual, a sentiment he expresses beautifully: "I want to be as close as possible so that I can feel what I photograph; it has to be as close as a self-portrait. I want my pictures to be a part of me, to carry my own dreams and yearnings." And it is so, glaring at the images, one can sense Petersen’s presence with the same intensity we feel the soul of his subjects.
© Anders Petersen, Napoli 2022
At the core of Petersen's work lies a profound intimacy and honesty, born from his deep reverence for his subjects. To him, each photograph is an act of love and an exercise in empathy that brings him closer to himself. And for us, the spectators, Napoli takes us on a parallel journey where we are guided by Petersen’s subjects; they extend a weary arm and gently point us in the direction of our true, authentic selves.
