Photography turns 200 years old this year. The ‘View from the Window at Le Gras’ (‘Point de vue du Gras’) was captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826 using a camera obscura and the heliography process; it is considered the oldest surviving photograph in the world.
The ‘view from the window’ itself is a central motif in art history, symbolizing the threshold between private and public space, confinement and freedom, illusion and reality—and serving as the quintessential emblem of longing. It represents the conflict between one’s own confined living environment and a mysterious, untouched nature.
Born in Jena, I wish to turn my gaze toward this very city. Jena is regarded as the cradle of Early Romanticism and—shaped by industry as a city of optics and light—is also closely linked to the development of photography.
With ‘Hommage à Niépce,’ I revisit the ‘View from the Window at Le Gras.’ I distribute ready-made pinhole cameras and invite people in Jena to place them in the windows of their rooms (or workspaces) and recreate Niépce’s view through their own photographs. Afterward, I develop the resulting images, allowing the work to grow organically through this process.
Work in progress – stay tuned!
Please notice: To everyone living or working in Jena: Would you like to help my project grow? Get in touch with me, and I’ll bring you a camera obscura so the view from your window can become part of the project.