Hoping for our readers’ forbearance regarding the rather long interval since our last issue, we finally and gladly present CAMERA AUSTRIA no. 30. (The delay was partly due to our increased participation in external exhibitions and the completion of two publications by “Edition Camera Austria”: Seiichi Furuya’s “Mémoires” and the exhibition catalogue “Standpark eins”.)We also hope that the debate on contemporary photography by now consumary in CAMERA AUSTRIA-  with its range of differing standpoints and the presentation of a verity of coexisting approaches corresponding to the practice of photography in the context of modern art- will continue to hold our reader’s interest. Issue number 31 is already in preparation: Peter Weibel will make an extensive contribution about Sigmund Freud’s media theory, cross-referencing the findings of his research as well as documents and original photographs from the Sigmund Freud Museum at Berggasse  19 in Vienna with relevant extracts from Freud’s writings.

In the present issue the emphasis rests on three essayistic contributions: Caryn Faure Walker has endeavored to relate Astrid Klein’s most recent photo works, presently exhibited in West Gemany, Great Britain and Austria, to reality utopias of the twenties, particularly to Moholy-Nagy’s observation – an attempt that demonstrates the importance of questionning the meaning of artistic strategies and formal decisions, proving that such decisions may be evaluated outside a purely medial context and against a philosophical background, Vladimir Gudac, artist and curator of the Galerija Stenstskog Crentra in Zagreb, presents a selection of photographic works by Yugoslavian artists. The selection reflects an animated debate about photography in this countery and a clear vision of the medium surpassing its potential of “truthful depiction” which should lead to an intensified interest in Yugoslavian photography and to further publications in a future issue of CAMERA AUSTRIA. “Vis à vis the Camera” is the title of the third chief contribution in this issue: The exhibition thus titled  by the Grita Insam Gallery in Vienna and the Museum boor Hedendaagse Kunst, s’Hertogenbosch,  raises various issues concerning contemporary portrait photography. A choice of works by eleven artists opens insight into a wide range of approaches to the topic. If any topic has consistently accompanied photography in its 150 years of history, it is the portrait, and even though the naive claim to “possess” another person’s image contemporary art cannot be denied. The resulting confrontations in this exhibition show traditional positions being challenged: semantic connections come to light, and the “classic” portrait evolves as a point of reference, serving , once again, as a basis for modern work.

IN CLOSING, A REQUEST TO OUR READERS

CAMERA AUSTRIA has been around for almost ten years, an occasion for us get to know our readers somewhat more closely by means of a readers’ questionnaire. (Our request is directed at all our subscribers , old and new; even if you should have come across an issue of CAMERA AUSTRIA merely by chance, your opinion will be valued. In particular ,we would like to get to know our foreign readers.) This research project is being carried out by Pia Lanzinger , a communication scientist at the Univerity of Munich . Please complete the enclosed questionnaire and retire it to CAMERA AUSTRIA. The results of the survey will be published in one of the upcoming issues.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation- we are looking forward to your response.

Manfred Willmann, Christine Frisinghelli