ANDREAS H. BITESNICH
PHOTOGRAPHY

12. February 2004 – 9. May 2004, daily 10.00 – 19.00 hrs

KunstHausWien is pleased to present, for the first time in Austria,
Viennese photographer Andreas H. Bitesnich
in an exhibition of 120 photographs
from the four theme cycles of his published books
“Nudes”, “Woman”, “Travel” and “On Form”.
On exhibit will be his famous nude photographs, which radiate
a cool, reserved eroticism, as well as his travel impressions
and fashion photography.
For Andreas H. Bitesnich photography is a entire universe –
and he is the explorer of many possibilities.

"Viennese photography artist Andreas H. Bitesnich is considered one of the best nude photographers of the world."
(Amica, Germany)

"Andreas Bitesnich‘s experiments with the nude are sex-drenched,
dynamic and shapely."
(Black & White Magazine, Australia)

"Andreas Bitesnich is regarded one of the internationally
most outstanding photographers today."
(Photographie, Germany)

"Andreas Bitesnich‘s nudes are almost too hot to handle."
(Blue Magazine, Australia)

"The Austrian Andreas Bitesnich belongs to the best erotic photographers of the world. His nudes are superbly choreographed –
with great love for detail and full of suspense."
(Max, Germany)

"Already now, the gifted autodidact has forged an extraordinary career.
Having reached Mount Olympus of photography, he sits on a respect-inspiring cloud, but he will not rest. He will belong to the few great photographers of the future –
I am absolutely sure of it."
(Tom Jacobi, Stern Magazine, Germany)

Andreas H. Bitesnich was born in Vienna, Austria in 1964. After secondary school he made an apprenticeship in retail trade. He married at age 22 and has one son. During military service he shot passport photographs for identity cards and even had the opportunity to photograph the pope arriving at the military airbase Klosterneuburg, Austria. When an acquaintance of his, a fashion photographer assistant in Milan, showed him his black-and-white photography portfolio, he caught fire for photography. The next day, he bought a Nikon F 3. From that moment he photographed everything that came before his lens. He transformed the family bathroom into a photography lab, bought expensive photography books and studied them thoroughly. For two years, he led a double life, selling electrical appliances during the day and immersing himself into photography at night.
In 1989, he decided to make his passion his profession, setting up a still-life studio.
He acquired a 6 x 7 Mamiya for which he paid three weeks later after having completed a commission. Without taking loans he built up his equipment step by step.
Today, Andreas H. Bitesnich is considered one of the outstanding photographers. Especially in the field of eroticism he is among the best in the world.

Andreas H. Bitesnich once thought that in nude photography almost everything had already been achieved. “However, I now believe that there will always be a new way to see the human body, something unique that you must discover for yourself,” says the 39-year-old Austrian. “I am always surprised that I find it in the end.”

Bitesnich’s nude studies reduce the form of the human body to the mere gestalt, blurring the borderline between the aesthetical subject and the object of sexual desire. A passion for sculpture and classical form might be the obvious explanation. Bitesnich emphasizes that his creative process is quite organized and less inspired by art history. “It is curious that I am not really concerned with sculpture, everything I do comes from a gut feeling. I don’t plan it. I work with a model and notice what is emerging…”

The almost perfect body structure of his models is being twisted and shifted around for sculptural abstraction. Often, it is his handling of light and shadow on the surface of the skin with which Bitesnich lights sensuous and erotic textures, bringing to mind that these forms, forced into a frame, are indeed human. “Everything is graphical and has a much to do with space, with the balance within the space that the frame provides.”

„In the beginning I was only concerned with body pasture and graphical elements. During the last three years, I have done more colour photography and my work has changed through that: I have used light more sensitively and body pastures appear more accidental and natural.” The nudes, his trademark, have undergone a silent evolution. Bitesnich is fascinated by the subtle potential of colour photography. “I do not know why I have avoided colour photography for so long. I started with black-and-white and had perfect control over developing and processing – for ten years I created my own prints. However, when I was searching for a step into a new direction, the gate to colour photography opened. It was like a breeze of fresh air. Occasionally I go back to black-and-white photography. I still love it. But the feeling for colour photography determines my imagination now, quite like a musician who has found a new instrument.”

The books “Nudes”, “Woman”, “Travel” and “On Form” published by teNeues Publishing will be available at the KunstHausWien MuseumShop.

Information on Andreas H. Bitesnich is available under www.bitesnich.com
and www.kunsthauswien.com.

Press Conference: Wednesday, 11 February 2004 – 10.30 hrs
ExhibitionOpening: Wednesday, 11 February 2004 – 19.00 hrs

YUMYUM MEDIA ,