August Sander @ The Dean Gallery

Not content with just one exhibition of great German art in Edinburgh – that of Rosmarie Trockel at the Talbot Rice Gallery – The Dean Gallery presents us a second. This time in the form of seminal 20th Century German photographer August Sander, courtesy of Artist Rooms.

'People of the 20th Century' was Sander's long running project, in which he attempted to document a cross-section of society in the Weimar Republic in the first half of the 20th Century. With a methodical approach, he looked to find a truthful view of society; one that included students, artists, Nazi officers, craftsmen, mothers, farmers and the unemployed, to name but a few. The project looked to accommodate all levels of class, from the wealthy and powerful to the poorest and most overlooked.

It is common to feel distanced from historical events, but Sander’s photographs seem to establish a firm connection with the people of the past. Each photograph is an intimate portrait of an individual with an overt, personal story. At the same time, by omitting the subject’s names from the photograph titles, replacing them with their job title, profession or class, Sander simultaneously democratises and objectifies his subjects. The German Dadaist Raoul Hausmann for example, is reduced to the title The Artist. Through this device the people are not refined to merely their individual stories but also act as a representative for their position in society.

Sander's photographs are thoroughly captivating and technically exquisite. It is easy to see his influence on later photographers, such as Diane Arbus and Cindy Sherman. Through a dedicated study of those who made up his society, Sander has given us a detailed survey of an entire era, and a timeless portrait of its inhabitants