Photographer Deidi Von Schaewen expounds on her scaffolding saga and her fascination with India
Deidi photographs houses and palaces in India
Berlin-based architectural photographer Deidi von Schaewen, whose best works were recently showcased in the exhibition — The Urban Story, curated by Apparao Galleries, is in a happy place in life.The artist reminisces that she initially dreamt of donning the grease paint and appearing before the camera before becoming a lenswoman. “It all started when I became fascinated with photography in the darkroom, watching a friend developing some pictures he had taken of mine and some jewellery.
The next day I went to East Berlin to buy a cheap Russian camera and very soon photographed an old advertising wall near my art school,” says Deidi, who is also an author and filmmaker.
So, what drew her towards scaffoldings and architectural portraits? Deidi says, “My first big job was working in Barcelona with the American architect Peter Harnden for a pavilion at Montreal. I happened to see a departmental store hidden by scaffolding. I was completely fascinated and felt this was my next theme for a long time. While travelling to the South of Spain, I did some photographs of a new building by renowned architect Ricardo Bofill. I showed the pictures to him and he then asked me to photograph all his buildings.
Thus I became an architectural photographer almost overnight.”
Later, Deidi enjoyed capturing old walls during her trips to France and Spain and continued doing it for 17 years, until her book Walls was published. A Parisian at heart, Deidi says that she became interested in vernacular, traditional architecture after visiting India and Africa. The veteran artist asserts that she gradually started losing her interest in modern cities. “I find them chaotic most of the time, sans real urban design. Moreover, I find the vernacular architecture better for environment,” she points out.
Deidi says that her latest book, Interiors of India, took her on a fascinating trip across the country. “I had the chance to travel to many places and photographed beautiful houses and palaces. I was simply awed by its beauty. The rest of the world has opened up to Indian art,” she concludes.
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