Andreas Gursky, *1955

Gursky's finished works are composed using large numbers of digitally edited photographs. He photographs landscapes, architecture and also interiors. His photographs are shot from unusual viewpoints and then digitally processed, which creates an artificial, privileged perspective for the viewer. Gursky studied under Bernd and Hilla Becher. From a distance, his images work like macrostructures, but on closer scrutiny they reveal a microcosm of details and information. Gursky's works are far removed from traditional documentary photography; they are fictions based on facts. His works are not only represented in important collections in Germany and around the world, they also regularly fetch staggering prices at auction. A group of his works is on show at Wolfsburg Art Museum. The Gallery of Contemporary Art at the Kunsthalle in Hamburg also has one of the major collections of his works.