City photographer captures serene city moments
London gallery HackelBury Fine Art's Kellert gushes, "I have an interest in ideas of stillness and contemplation," presenting his latest series, "Waiting for the Signal." This collection of enormous black-and-white urban cityscapes captures those lost in deep thought, deciding their futures as they stand at the crossroads of life.
In one image, a street cleaner stands alone beneath a narrow sunbeam, looking up as he begins to cross a strikingly empty city thoroughfare in Boston. In another, a group of diverse-aged individuals scatter across different directions while deciding on their next move, amidst the scattered light reflected off a Chicago building.
Kellert's photography is accompanied by a new monograph on his "Crossroads Blues" series, starting in Los Angeles as a reaction to the 2016 U.S. election. "I wanted to work on the election," Kellert explained. He captured a snapshot of the political climate with a photo on Hope Street, Los Angeles, and spotlighted the Hope Street reflected from Barack Obama's iconic Shepard Fairey "Hope" poster.
While Kellert's initial objective was to create a politically-charged street portrait, the final image did not turn out as planned. Instead, he captured a woman, patiently waiting for the street to clear, bathed in golden sunlight. "It feels like the image of a political crossroads," Kellert said. Then, as he continued to photograph people standing at crosswalks across the U.S., he began to realize, "It's not about politics, it's about the personal."
The majority of "Crossroads Blues" photos were captured in cities across the United States, from Phoenix and Atlanta to Chicago and Seattle. The grid-like street layout lends itself to fotography of pedestrian crosswalks, while the urban, gray, and often unrecognizable inner-city backgrounds serve to focus on the people within the shots. "Some of the locations I visited were too romantic," Kellert said, referring to his failure to capture photos in New Orleans.
Set in urban surroundings, Kellert's photos never lack for charm; the use of light is crucial, with dramatic sunshine frequently illuminating his subjects with a carefully composed glow.
While Kellert's scenes might carry an urban coolness, they do not lack for beauty. "It's all so deliberately executed, it looks like a film set," Kellert said, ensuring that every photograph remains unstaged. "I go through select cities, searching for the perfect street corner — usually a few blocks removed from the most crowded streets. I wait for the right lighting, and for the place to be quiet, with someone waiting to cross the street. It creates a sense of wideness for people, making them feel noticed."
The series concludes in Rio de Janeiro, where Kellert accidentally freezes a man in a near-biblical pose, standing still with fingers raised towards the sky. "I knew this project was over," Kellert said.
Additional Reading
Oli Kellert's photography series, on view in his London exhibition "Waiting for a Sign," reflects the quiet strength of black African American street art and traditional values, in addition to drawing inspiration from street culture.
Enrichment insights:
While the article does not provide any direct linkages between Oli Kellert's photography series and the black African American street art/photography tradition, an analysis of his urban explorations, documentary aesthetic, and focus on celebrating urban life reveals a subtle yet powerful influence. Kellert's photography emulates the gritty realism of street art and Black African American photography by capturing everyday life in urban environments, focusing on social commentary through his images, incorporating a documentary style to preserve authenticity, and celebrating human experiences within cityscapes. Given that street art and black African American photography share these characteristics, it is possible that Kellert may have drawn inspiration from these traditions.
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