Michael Wagener

Descripción del Artista

Michael Wagener lives and works in Cologne as a photographer and art teacher. After studying applied art at the University of Siegen, he consolidated his skills in commercial photography by assisting Simon Puschmann in Cologne. A position as scientific officer at University of Siegen was followed by lectureships in the field of art and media education with a focus on photography at the universities in Oldenburg, Flensburg, Siegen and Cologne. In 2008 Michael Wagener was appointed as a member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Photographie (DGPh). Since 2012 he publishes photographic essays and articles in MicMag, a French cultural magazine. In 2013 he joined the jury of DGPh for the first DGPh-Bildungspreis (Education Award) for Photography. In 2017 he organized a pilot project for the mediation of the SDGs of the UN in the medium of photography in cooperation with CANON. His photographic work has been presented in numerous exhibitions in Germany as well as abroad (e.g. Photoszene Köln, Cologne, 2018/2016; Staatspreis manufactum, Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Dortmund, 2017; Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, 2017; IHK Düsseldorf, Dusseldorf, 2017). Michael Wagener’s professional achievements and recognition give proof of how well his work as a photographer harmonizes with his role as a teacher. Currently he mediates his passion for photography by teaching at the Hölderlin Gymnasium (secondary school) in Cologne. In 2014 he even realized a journey to West Papua/Indonesia with his students. His daily interaction with the “Generation Z” and “digital natives” benefits his art and especially photography by continuous inspiration and rethinking. Scope for development is therefore intensively used for photographic projects and commercial assignments in Cologne area and worldwide. Thanks to his extensive social and professional networking, projects take him abroad, e.g. to Tokyo in 2015, where he had a photo shooting with chinese topmodel Jie Duan and documented the work of Deborah Ten. Several times he already used sabbatical for journeys to document people and cultures of different countries. Amongst other things he documented the art scene in Iran with French journalist Helios Molina or joined NGO REWA society at their work with disabled people in the Himalayas – to point out just a few of the countless highlights of his journeys. In 2018 the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung introduced Michael Wagener in their online magazine with his portfolio about Georgia as a travel photographer. Michael Wagener’s broad interest in art, culture and people is reflected in the wide spectrum of his photographic works, which include portraits, travel and landscape photography as well as social reports. As a freelance photographer, he enjoys the privilege of choosing his motifs by interest and curiosity. In his current works he increasingly deals with the aesthetics of dance, for example in a shoot with the professional dancer Josefine Patzelt. Regarding his career choice, there is no “either – or” for Michael Wagener. He has always been passionate about advancing and teaching his photographic skills. The outstanding artworks speak in his favour. And without doubt: The best is yet to come. Regine Epp – M.A. Art History

Exposiciones en las que ha participado como artista

Recuerdos combinados: mi pasado analógico

Individual

Imágenes del Artista

Combined Memories - Empire State and the Chinese Sea