1963 – 64
I got my first camera in 1952, at the age of twelve. It was a Kodak Brownie, and it brought a lot of joy, if not exactly artistic results.
As I went to art – school in 1961, I got a teacher by the name of Jarle Strømme, who taught me the pleasure of working in the darkroom, - about the only useful knowledge I got from that school.
When I spent some months in Iran in 1963 and in Spain for about six months in 64, I had the pleasure of using a Zeiss Ikon equipment, which my father had bought sometime in the fifties.
These stays resulted in a large number of photos, alas are most disappeared.
However, when I started my education at the Art – academy in Oslo in 1965, my interest in photography faded. In those days, photography met no acceptance as artistic work – at least not in Norway - and when I showed some photos to my professor, he showed no interest whatsoever.
It was many years later, as I discovered the work of Robert Mapplethorpe, Thomas Ruff, Cindy Sherman and others, I became aware of the artistic qualities this art may have.
When working with photography today, I very much think in the same way as I do when making paintings or graphics, which may be natural as I have been teaching painting for many years, and used to have a professorship in the field.
It is therefore with some pleasure I now present some pictures taken in 1963 and 64, and as far as I can see – and hope - they contain some artistic qualities.
Drøbak 14 – 04 – 2016
Erik Wessel
Click here for my "1963-1964" images