In human access to nature and its pictorial representation, there is a fine line between life and death. From magical incantations in Stone Age caves to the scientific analysis of modern times, the relationship between people and their environment remains in a limbo, between powerlessness and omnipotence. Michael Koch examines the fragile balance in a subtle reflection of its representative means. His photographic incarnations, which were taken in museums of natural history across Europe between 2012 and 2020 and his studio alike, play on the one hand with the different modes of staging specimens and on the other hand with the tradition of scientific photography. The result shows up as a mysterious "reanimation", evidently dead things appear alive again. This disturbing form of simultaneity is more than an aesthetic characteristic of Michael Koch's art. The synchronicity extends further into the psychological and philosophical without becoming illustrative or didactic at one point. His pictures are less the result of a thought process alone than the thought process itself: the epistemological disturbance as a dialectical principle, as the motor of critical thinking, perception and feeling. It also resonates: The deep knowledge of the promise of disappearing in the presence. In the "eternal collection" there is also an eternal loss, the dissolution, the passing away, reflecting a failure in the success. And all optimism lies in fiction.

(Thomas W. Kuhn, Rheydt 2021)













1973 born in Braunschweig, lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany. 1998-2004 studies of communication design Universität Gesamthochschule Duisburg-Essen / Folkwang class of Bernhard Prinz and Dr. Herta Wolf. art and photography, history and theory of photography 2002 highly commended - John Kobal Photographic Portrait Award National Portrait Gallery, London 2004 Diploma (Dipl.-Des.) - Universität Gesamthochschule Duisburg-Essen / Folkwang I never promised you a rosegarden 2005 distinction at 7th Aenne-Biermann-Prize for german contemporary photography 2016 shortlisted Royal Photographic Society IPE 159 2017 Monochrome Photography Awards 2016 - Portrait - honorable mention Nominee Award in Nature in the 2017 Photogrvphy Grant. 2018 the animal kingdom. L.A. Photo Curator, Global Photography Award - honorable mention shortlisted Royal Photographic Society IPE 161 ND Awards 2018 / Nature - honorable mention 2019 Monochrome Photography Awards 2018 - Nature - honorable mention Nominee Award in Nature - Fine Art Photography Awards, London shortlisted Felix-Schoeller Photo Award 2019 ND Awards 2019 / fine art / conceptual - honorable mention 2020 Monochrome Photography Awards 2019 - conceptual - 2nd Place Winner / silver award MonoVisions Photography Awards - conceptual - honorable mention Minimalist Photography Awards - fine art - honorable mention International Photography Grant - talent of the year 2020 - finalist 2021 Monochrome Photography Awards 2020 - fine art - honorable mention Michael Koch`s work is exhibited internationally.

http://michael-koch.org