Michael Najjar
Michael Najjar is a German visual artist. He was born on 31 October 1966 in Landau, West Germany. Since 1988, he has lived and worked in Berlin.
Life and Education
From 1988 to 1993, Michael Najjar studied at the Bildo-Akademie für Kunst und Medien in Berlin, the first private art academy in Germany, where he studied experimental and interdisciplinary approaches to the media of photography, video and computers. It was there that he first became acquainted with the work of the cultural theorists Jean Baudrillard, Vilém Flusser and Paul Virilio which exerted a major influence on his later creative output. He graduated in 1993. The marked global outlook shown in his art is colored by his life and work in Brazil, Cuba, Spain, England, Japan and the USA.
Najjar currently works on a new series entitled “outer space“, which is dedicated to the latest developments in space technologies. He is also one of Virgin Galactic´s Pioneer Astronauts and will be the first artist in space.
Work
Michael Najjar works with Photography and Video. The focus of his work is on key elements of our modern society driven and controlled by computer and information technologies. Najjar, widely seen as a visual futurist, transmutes science, history and philosophy into visions and utopias of future social structures emerging under the impact of cutting-edge technologies. The fusion of realistic elements with fictitious realities, is a recurrent hallmark in his work which is usually composed in thematically focused series. Najjar demonstrates the potential of the photographic image, capable of making visible what is normally invisible to the human eye. His work visualizes what very often is beyond the limits of our perception, unveiling what is hidden under the surface of what he calls “telematic society“.
netropolis
His work series "netropolis" (2003 - 2006) is an exploration of the way global cities will develop in the future. He travelled around the globe and climbed – often evading the security guards! - the highest towers of twelve megacities. His panoramic view transforms the reality of urban spatial structure into landscape. The digital fusion of panoramic views taken from different angles transforms the landscape into a woven fabric of relationships. The work shows the endless ocean of information, an all pervasive network. A compression of space and time evoking intense and constantly growing global interconnectivity.
high altitude
For “high altitude“ (2008 - 2010) he climbed Mount Aconcagua whose 6,962 meters (22,841 feet) make it the highest mountain on the planet outside of Asia. In the Andes Najjar photographed mountain ridges whose petrified zigzag curves served him as a representation of the monumentality of financial markets. He patterned the shots he took on the expedition rigorously on the fluctuations of international stock exchange indices. What he shows are the ups and downs of the markets, and how market reality and simulation are so intertwined as to be almost indistinguishable. What we see are the movements of the tectonic plates of the global economy over the past twenty to thirty years in whose course new peaks are thrown up and earthquakes and erosion are inevitable. Najjar shows the sublime in an age when information technology has become all-powerful.
outer space
Now Michael Najjar will go to even higher altitudes in his new series entitled “outer space“. He believes that “Today we are on the verge of another new era in space exploration and travel. It´s a transformational time for the space industry and scientific research with huge implications for the future of humankind and the relationship to our homeplanet”. Najjar himself will undergo intensive cosmonaut training in Russia, including jet fighter flights in the stratosphere, Zero-G and centrifuge training, spacewalk simulation and computer simulations on the Soyuz spacecraft. The ultimate experience will be his own spaceflight as one of Richard Branson´s Virgin Galactic Pioneer Astronauts. He will be the first contemporary artist in space. The flight shall become a multimedia performance piece.
Selected exhibitions
2015
- Museo Es Baluard, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- ZKM | Museum of Contemporary Art, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Kunstverein Oldenburg, Germany
2014
- Multimedia Art Museum Moscow, Russia
- Zacheta National Gallery of Art Warsaw, Poland
- Fotoverhalen, Gemeentemuseum The Hague, The Netherlands
- Laboral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial, Gijón, Spain
2013
- Somerset House, London, UK
- Borusan Contemporary, Istanbul, Turkey
2012
- Ballroom Marfa, Marfa, USA
- Salone degli Incanti, ex Pescheria, Trieste, Italy
- Centro de Arte Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain
2011
- ZKM | Museum of Contemporary Art, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Museum Deichtorhallen, Sammlung Falckenberg, Hamburg, Germany
- Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, Germany
- Art Stations Foundation, Poznan, Poland
- CAC Málaga, Spain
2010
- CAC Málaga, Spain
- Biennial for Art and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- TEA - Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Teneriffa, Spain
2009
- Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, USA
- New Media Art Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Leopold Hösch Museum, Düren, Germany
- 5. Darmstädter Tage der Fotografie, Darmstadt, Germany
2008
- GEM Museum of Contemporary Art / Fotomuseum Den Haag
- Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China
- Museo Es Baluard, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Birmingham, UK
2007
- FORMA_Centro_Internazionale_di_Fotografia, Mailand, Italy
- Kunstverein Heidelberg, Germany
- Museum Kunstwerk, Stuttgart, Germany
2006
- Cities, architecture and society, Venice Biennial - 10th international architecture exhibition, Italy
- 9. Biennale Havanna, Cuba
- Museo DA2 Domus Artium 2002, Salamanca, Spain
- Centre pour l'Image Contemporaine, Genf, Switzerland
- Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg, Germany
2005
- Auswärtiges Amt, Berlin, Germany
- Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany
- National Museum of Science, Thaipeh, Taiwan
- Convergence Biennale, Peking, China
2004
- Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, Spain
- Science Museum, London, UK
- Photokina, Köln, Germany
2003
- Deichtorhallen, Internationales Haus der Photographie, Hamburg, Germany
- Willy-Brandt-Haus, Berlin, Germany
- Museum Traphold, Kolding, Denmark
2002
- Kunsthalle Hamburg, Galerie der Gegenwart, Hamburg, Germany
- Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, Germany
2000
- Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Forum Fotografie, Hamburg, Germany
1999
- Museum Ludwig, Köln, Germany
1998
- Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Forum Fotografie, Hamburg, Germany
Work series
- outer space, 2011 -
- f1, 2011
- high altitude, 2008–2010
- bionic angel, 2006–2008
- netropolis, 2003–2006
- no memory access, 2001–2005
- information and apocalypse, 2003
- end of sex.as we know it., 2002
- schnittbilder, 2001
- nexus project part I, 1999–2000
- Japanese style, 1999–2000
- ¡viva fidel! – journey into absurdity, 1997
Books & Catalogues
Michael Najjar (ed.). outer space. Distanz Verlag, Germany 2014
Bollmann, Philipp (ed.): "In-Sight - Photographs from the Wemhöner Collection", Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, Germany, 2012
Najjar, Michael (ed.): "high altitude" Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, Germany, 2011
Bollmann, Philipp (ed.): “Focus Asia - Einblicke in die Sammlung Wemhöner” Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, Germany, 2011
Kolczynska, Paulina “Identity, or on a variety of perspectives” in: “Identity - Photographs of the Grazyna Kulczyk Collection” ex. cat., Poznan, Poland, 2011
Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe (ed.): “Portraits in series - a century of photographs” ex. cat., Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, Germany, 2011
Rau, Bodo (Ed.): “Architektur in der Kunst - Architekturen des Augenblicks” ex. cat., Bahnitz, Germany, 2011
Herschdorfer, Nathalie (ed.): “High altitude - Photography in the mountains” ex. cat., 5 continents editions, Milan, Italy, 2011
Melis, Wim (ed.): “metropolis” Stichting Aurora Borealis, Photo Festival, Groningen, Netherlands, 2011
Klanten, Robert / Ehmann, Sven / Schulze, Floyd (eds.): “Visual storytelling: inspiring a new visual language” Die Gestalten Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 2011
Damian, Angela / Azoulay, Eliabeth / Frioux, Dalibor (eds.): “100.000 years of beauty” Editions Babylone, Paris, France, 2010
Klanten, Robert / Ehmann, Sven / Bourquin, Nicolas (eds.): “data flow 2” Die Gestalten Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 2010
Klanten, Robert / Feireiss, Lukas (eds.): “Beyond architecture. Imaginative buildings and fictional cities” Die Gestalten Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 2009
Kerner, Charlotte (ed.): “next generation” Belz & Gelberg, Weinheim, Germany, 2009
Sasse, Julie (ed.): “Trouble in paradise: examining the discord between nature and society” ex. cat., Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, USA, 2009
Edgar Quadt (ed.): “Artinvestor - Wie man erfolgreich in Kunst investiert” Finanzbuch Verlag, Munich, Germany, 2008
van Sinderen, Wim (ed.): “Augmented realities - Michael Najjar works 1997-2008” ex. cat., GEM - The Hague Museum of Photography Veenman Publishers, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 2008
Miha, Andy (ed.): “Human futures: art in an age of uncertainty” Fact & Liverpool University Press, Liverpool, UK, 2008
Bitforms Gallery / Galería Juan Silió / Najjar, Michael (Ed.): “bionic angel” Berlin, Germany, 2008
Scarpato, Rosario / Piccioni, Monica (eds.): “Map games: dynamics of change” ex. cat., Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China, 2008
Es Baluard, Museu d’Art Modern i Contemporani de Palma (ed.): “en privat1” ex. cat., Museo Es Baluard, Palma, Spain, 2008
Sacks, Steve (ed.): “bitforms gallery” bitforms gallery, New York, USA, 2008
Explorafoto y Fundación Salamanca Ciudad de Cultura (ed.): “Michael Najjar - information and apocalypse” ex. cat., DA2, Domus Artium 2002, Salamanca, Spain, 2007
Ewing, William (ed.): “Face - the new photographic portrait” Thames & Hudson, London, UK, 2006
Herrera, Nelson (ed.): “9th Havana Biennal 2006” ex. cat., Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wifredo Lam Havana, Cuba, 2006
Sanz, Antonio (ed.): “C on cities” ex. cat., 10. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura La Biennale di Venezia, Italy, 2006
Panera, Javier (ed.): “Mascaradas politicas” Explorafoto - Festival Internacional de Fotografía de Castilla y León. ex. cat., DA2, Domus Artium 2002, Salamanca, Spain, 2006
Himmelsbach, Sabine (ed.): “Sichtbarkeiten” ex. cat., Edith-Ruß-Site for Media Art, Oldenburg, Germany, 2006
Bitforms / Juan Silió / Guy Bärtschi / Najjar, Michael (eds.): “netropolis” Berlin, Germany, 2006
Najjar, Michael (ed.): “japanese style” ex. cat., Federal Foreign Office, Berlin, Germany, 2005
Mellis, Wim (ed.): “traces and omens” Stichting Aurora Borealis, Photo Festival, Groningen, Netherlands, 2005
Szeemann, Harald (ed.): “The beauty of failure / the failure of beauty” ex. cat., Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, Spain, 2004
Kemp, Sandra (ed.): “Future face - image, identity, innovation” Profile books ldt, ex. cat., Science Museum London, London, UK, 2004
bitforms gallery / Najjar, Michael (eds.): “netropolis” Berlin, Germany, 2004
Felix, Zdenek (ed.): “A clear vision. Photographische Werke aus der Sammlung F.C. Gundlach” Hatje Cantz Verlag, ex. cat., International House of Photography Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany, 2003
Goethe-Institut New York, Najjar, Michael (eds.): “Information and Apocalypse” ex. cat., Goethe-Institut New York Berlin, Germany, 2003
Triennale der Photographie Hamburg (ed.): “Reality-Check” ex. cat., 2. Triennale der Photographie, Hamburg, Germany, 2002
Philipp, Gabriele (ed.): “Mythos St.Pauli - Photographien 1967-2002” ex. cat., Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Bönnigheim, Germany, 2002
Klanten, Robert / Peyerl, Andreas (eds.): “Surreality localizer” Die Gestalten Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 1997
References
External links
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