Luca Zanier, Zurich, Switzerland
Luca Zanier was born in Zurich in 1966. After being trained in photography he worked as an assistant to numerous national and international photographers. Zanier then founded his own studio in Zurich and since 1993 he has been working as an independent photographer, focusing predominately on landscapes, stills, people and documentation as well as on free artistic work. Since 2000, photographs of Zanier have been displayed in various group and solo-exhibitions nationally and internationally. His work has been shown in the context of collective exhibitions including «Descubrimientos PHE» in Madrid, the photo-festival «VoiesOff» in Arles and the festival «Mois européen de la photographie» in Luxemburg. Exhibitions exclusively featuring the works of Zanier have been hosted by galleries such as «Primo Piano» in Naples, «Le Magasin des Jouets» in Arles and «Anzenberger Gallery» in Vienna. 2013, Zanier participated among others to the exhibitions «Atomic Surplus» in Santa Fe (USA), the «Noorderlicht Photo Festival» in Groningen (NL) and the Photo Museum in Riga (LV).
Zanier’s work has been bestowed with awards in France, Switzerland and Lithuania. In 2010 he received an «Honorable Mention» in the Review Santa Fe in New Mexico, US. Additionally, he received the Silver Award of the Prix de la Photographie Paris in the «Fine Art» category. 2012 he has been rewarded by «Open Show Switzerland». Most recently, newspapers and magazines such as «Le Monde», «Geo International», «Newsweek» as well as «Wired» and «Polka Magazine» have featured his work. Zanier’s first book, entitled «Power Book» was published by Benteli in June 2012.
Space and Energy
Enormous spaces, endless walkways, wide sluices, cryptic signs; all combined with miles of cables and pipes. They form a technical universe that radiates a cool logic. A hidden world, known only to a few and yet which has a huge influence on our day to day lives, absolutely essential in fact. Nuclear power plants, coal-fired power stations, storage facilities for nuclear waste and other energy systems can at the same time intimidate and fascinate a visitor. They seem to have originated from other planets or science-fiction films. Strange worlds, emanating a cool logic; cathedrals of industry, temples of an energy-guzzling society. Energy systems are hidden universes, accessible to very few people, highly protected against accidents and terroristic attacks.
My intention is to capture these plants on film in an artistic manner. Pure information is in the background. The idea is more about perspectives, colours and shapes. What I am proposing is to dissipate technology into aesthetics, at least to a certain extent. Only the caption will remind the beholder of what he or she is contemplating: A highly complex system whereof our modern life depends. Energy systems which serve us and, at the same time, can threaten us.
Books
2012 Power Book» by Luca Zanier, published by Benteli (Switzerland)
Collections
2012 Fachstelle für Kultur Kanton Zürich, Zürich (CH)
