I started my photographic journey as a hobby travel photographer, shooting mostly landscapes and architecture. When I dared to apply for my own exhibition in my favourite local café my self-awareness was shaken. Suddenly I was not only a amateur photographer but seen as an artist.
Even more so when I was asked to do another one in the same venue. This was a concept project combined with a reading of dark romantic texts to which I contributed my photographic artworks. The “Colours of Night” were born. This consolidated my style of moody, brooding dark imagery which I still do today.
Gear facts for the nerds among you: I’m using a Sony A7R III for 6 years now, mainly working with primes (20mm, 35mm, 65mm and 135mm). Sometimes I also just rely on my phone when I don’t feel like carrying all my stuff.
At night, when all cats turn grey, the city is flooded in coloured lights dancing through the streets and transforming the surfaces of urban space and architecture. Houses suddenly reveal their interiors through illuminated windows. Photographer Christian Rocas captures these nightly situations. His pictures reflect both pittoresque and melancholic moments. And they show the night owls in their urban surroundings in a manner reminiscent of Edward Hopper: individual, isolated, each one being for himself in the middle of metropolis.
Nachts, wenn alle Katzen grau werden, taucht die Stadt in farbiges Licht ein. Farbige Lichter tanzen durch die Straßen und verwandeln die Oberflächen des Stadtraums und der Architekturen. Die Häuser geben durch erleuchtete Fenster plötzlich ihr Inneres preis. Der Fotograf Christian Rocas fängt die nächtlichen Situationen ein. Seine Bilder spiegeln malerische wie melancholische Momente wider. Und sie zeigen die Nachtschwärmer und Nestflüchter in den Räumen in einer an Edward Hopper erinnernden Manier: einzeln, vereinzelt, jeder für sich seiend inmitten der Metropole.
Christian Kaufmann
(curator)
Exhibitions
3.9. – 22.9.2024
Rush Hour. Montez
Part of the cultural project at and about Hanauer Landstraße. Joint exhibition with Barbara Walzer, Rainer Raczinski and Levent Kunt
Kunstverein Familie Montez
Honsellstraße 7
Frankfurt am Main
2.9 – 18.9.2022
views | interrupted
different perspectives of urban space
In collaboration with rabirius and Sonja Ackermann.
Nebbiensches Gartenhaus
Bockenheimer Anlage 5
Frankfurt am Main
17.1. – 22.2. 2020
Farben der Nacht (Colours of Night)
Switchboard Bar & Café
Alte Gasse 36
Frankfurt am Main
26.1. – 5.5. 2017
Kalte Stadt (Cold City)
Switchboard Bar & Café
Alte Gasse 36
Frankfurt am Main