Josef Karl

Josef Karl studied Communication Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Munich and completed his diploma project in photography in the slums of Calcutta. The harrowing images of India left a profound impact on him, leading him to establish himself as a charity photographer in the footsteps of Jacob A. Riis and Lewis W. Hine. This was followed by the project "ABCnervosa," aimed at helping people with eating disorders. The tragic death of his son, who was shaken to death by a Munich daycare provider in 2008, had a tremendous influence on his body of work.

Uecker works with nails, Piene with fire, Beuys with fat and felt—Josef Karl works with passports to emphasize the uniqueness and authenticity of each individual; with his one-of-a-kind artworks, he rebels against the mass production of art editions, aiming to restore the high value of art.