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Photo: Eva Bertram

Dr. Susanne Holschbach

Susanne Holschbach is from the Ruhr area. She studied Art and German Philology in Essen. After she decided to study the history of photography she worked on the DFG’s research project “Theory and History of the Media” in 1995. In 1998 she became a research assistant at Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig, Academy of Visual Arts, responsible for “Theory and History of photography.

In 2003 she graduated with her thesis on” Kultur- und Mediengeschichte inszenierter Fotografie im 19. Jahrhundert” (culture and media history of staged photography in the 19th Century). Over the next few years she held a number of positions as guest and interim lecturer at Fachhochschule Potsdam, Universität Wien, Kunsthochschule für Medien in Cologne, and Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee. From 2012–2016 she was a Guest lecturer for Photography and Film Theory at Universität der Künste Berlin.

“I am interested in photography
as a greatly flexible medium,
which plays a significant role
in art and every day life.”

Susanne Holschbach focuses on the history and theory of photography, contemporary art and media, gender and visual culture, the constructed roles assigned to gender in fashion, conception of documentary in photography and film and the ordering of images on the Web 2.0. Alongside her teaching work, Susanne Holschbach curated the exhibitions “bellissima. Körper_Konstrukt_Schönheit” in 2003 and “Wiederbegegnung – Nach August Sander” in 2004 for Galerie HGB Leipzig and “Erblätterte Identitäten: Mode-Kunst-Zeitschrift” for Stadmuseum Ulm in 2006.

Susanne Holschbach’s interest in photography is based on its diversity as a medium, equally important and present in art and everyday life. Sometimes photography is “low”, then “high”, sometimes it documents hard facts, sometimes dream wolrds. It is always “crazy” and “untamed” (Roland Barthes) and something “new and special” (Walter Benjamin).

As theoretician, Susanne Holschbach treasures and remains in constant productive exchange with practitioners. As a teacher she wishes to impart her knowledge on the history of photography as a medium, and contribute to the development of a deeper reflective understanding of students in their use of photography. In class she discusses photographic positions with students, raising controversial points and questions in order to see issues in perspective. Art should never be a purpose unto its own, but should stand in context of political and cultural events.

Email: susanne.holschbach@neue-schule-berlin.com

Selected publications:

2018 Winfried Gerling, Susanne Holschbach, Petra Löffler: Bilder verteilen. Fotografische Praktiken in der digitalen Kultur, transcrip Verlag 2018.

2017
Passagen zwischen Tanz, Fotografie und Film. Zu Yvonne Rainers   Film „Live of Performers“, in: MAP – Media/Archive/Performance #8, 2017: Transformieren. Re-Inszenieren

2016
Das verteilte Bild. Erscheinungsweisen und Performanzen digitaler Fotografie, in: Becker, Ilka u.a. (Hg.): Fotografisches Handeln, Marburg

2016
Bildforensik als künstlerisches Verfahren. Rabih Mroués Lektüre von Aufzeichnungen aus dem syrischen Bürgerkrieg, in: Aufzeigen oder Beweisen? Die Fotografie als Kulturtechnik und Medium des Wissens, hrsg. von Herta Wolf. Akademie Verlag (im Druck)

2015
Virale Sammlungen, in: map: media archive performance, # 6

2014
Fotografie, in: Handbuch Medienwissenschaft. Metzler Verlag

2013
Begehung eines umstrittenen Terrains. Michael Danners Fotografien von Kernkraftwerken, in: Michael Danner. Critical Mass/Kritische Masse. Kehrer Verlag

2013
Pasolini-Stills, in: Verena Landau. Passages, Passengers, Places. 1999-2013. Hirmer Verlag

2013
Ordnungen des Fotoblogs. Kanalisierungsweisen (in) einer undisziplinierten Bildersammlung, in: Thomas Abel und Martin Roman Deppner: Undisziplinierte Bilder. Fotografie als dialogische Struktur. transcript Verlag

2011
Mode und Medialität im Zeichen der Fashion Blogs, in: Fashion Talks, hrsg. vom Museum für Kommunikation Berlin

2008
The Pose, it’s Troubles and Pleasures, in: Street and Studio. An Urban History of Photography. Tate

2006
Vom Ausdruck zur Pose. Theatralität und Weiblichkeit in der Fotografie des 19. Jahrhunderts. Reimer Verlag

2005
Foto/Byte, in: Medien Kunst Netz