F.C. Gundlach, who was born in 1926 in Heinebach (Hesse), is one of Germany's most celebrated fashion photographers of the post-war era. For some forty years, his photographs showcased international fashion and made fashion history by charting not only the passing vogues, but also the gestures and poses, the accessories and locations that accompany the changing ideals of beauty. Gundlach's photographs all capture the spirit of their times, from the optimism of the post-war years to the aesthetic of Op and Pop Art, right up to the dawn of Postmodernism. They touch on aesthetic issues, as well as questions concerning society and culture as a whole – and on the very way fashion and ideals of beauty are conveyed by the medium.
Gundlach's work distinguishes itself by its immaculate craftsmanship, technical finesse and sense of presentation, as well as by his artistry in communicating fashion in vivid images. His unique style is marked by an ability to pare images down to the essentials and an affinity for clear, uncluttered structures which balance the sensual with the formal. As a result, emotion merges with rational elements in his photographs to produce an unmistakable, ingenious world of images.
The exhibition In Fashion. F.C. Gundlach, the Photographic Work presents a rich selection of his acclaimed fashion photos and portraits – long since icons of modern photographic history.