Ralph Hassenpflug is a self-taught photographer born in West Germany, who emigrated to the United States in 2002, and currently resides in Provence, France, whose artwork is a visual representation of his own inward journey. Exploring his own path he is in a continuous deciphering of the self, and his artworks, foray into the world of the seen and unseen, transporting you into a mysterious world of symbols. Ralph Hassenpflug is an internationally recognized photographer who has shown his work in New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Berlin, Budapest, Halifax, and Moscow, among many other places.
Hello, Ralph,
First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to tell us about you and your work in this interview.
To begin, where are you from? Please tell us about yourself and your passions.
I was born in the Ruhr region of northern Germany. It used to be all coal and steel but is totally gentrified now. But I'd rather answer your question with a Rumi quote: “My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there”.
I have a passion for beauty, the mysterious, the transcendent, the archetypal, the dark, the feminine, and the dream.
What inspired you to approach photography? How did this journey start?
In my desire to express myself, I think I got to photography by elimination. I am not so good with words, so, that eliminates written poetry. I'm a lousy painter and a mediocre musician. That only leaves photography as an alternative. It's that simple.
In your visual stories you lead the viewer into a world at the edge of reality, he/she is walking this road which is also for him/her an introspective journey. I believe that at the end of the road everyone still discovers a little bit of themselves, of his/her soul. Please tell us where do you find the inspiration for your visual stories.
I think what you call the edge of reality is everywhere. There are many realities and inspiration is omnipresent. You just have to bring your heart to it to rediscover the things you forgot you knew and that we were all born with. There's a lot of interesting, fascinating stuff hidden in the depth of the collective unconscious.
I'm thrilled when I can take someone on the journey into that world with me. It makes a connection with the viewer. We're from the same tribe when that happens and that feels good. I think it can make for a better world by transcending the wasteland we live in.
What path do you think a photographer who wants to be a visual storyteller should take? What advice would you give him/her?
I'd say explore your dreams, read poetry, listen to music and look at art that moves you. Do that a lot. You will meet yourself and from that place, you can create your own work. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Never give up!
How much do you like Paris? Do you see yourself walking its streets and being inspired by its mood?
Paris, just like Prague, is a place with many portals into other worlds. Yes, there's nothing like getting lost in one of those cities on a rainy night and just wandering in amazement at the mysteries that surround you. Getting lost is a key to understanding.
Please tell us what photographic equipment you use and how you create an amazing atmosphere in your artwork.
I have no favorite equipment and use everything from my old Nikon to pinhole lenses, toy cameras, and phones. My eyes are my most important photographic equipment.
In the "Exile" series you touched on two existential topics: separation and loneliness. What can you tell us about this series? How much has your artwork been influenced by estrangement?
First of all, I wouldn't call it loneliness but solitude. Big difference! And as far as estrangement goes, I think that's the state we're all born into. It was Bob Dylan who once said he was born in Minnesota and immediately started looking for a home. The exile series that I have been working on for almost 10 years now was born from a deep longing for home. We all carry that inside, just more or less consciously. I love it when a viewer becomes aware of that longing looking at one of my images.
The "Anima" collection presents a series of strange and stunning, constrained women. What is the essence and message you want to convey through the "Anima" collection? What does your soul wish to express here?
No message at all. Just a meandering exploration of the feminine and my own anima. Also, of the cocoon that protects and constraints at the same time. How and where are we really free? What is desire?
The photo series with Magdala Mathilde reveals the naturalness, feelings, and nostalgia of this feminine personality. What can you tell us about this charismatic female character?
I met Magdala in Paris in 2019 because I was intrigued by her beauty and her poetry and we have been living and working together in the south of France ever since. We have an amazing facility to co-create and our work happens almost effortlessly. I believe it's our being in touch with our inner worlds that allows us to do good work together. We have a whole bunch of book projects that we will have to find publishers for.
Please share with us your favorite photographers you admire, why, and how did they influence your photographic journey?
I like the pictorialists Edward Steichen and Alfred Stieglitz who elevated photography to a poetic art form about a hundred years ago. Among the American contemporaries, there's Todd Hido and Keith Carter. Alexei Titarenko's early work in the USSR and everything from the amazing Japanese photographers Nobuyoshi Araki and Daido Moriyama.
Please tell us about your workshops and your projects. How do you imagine the evolution of your artistic work and your figure as an artist in the future?
There will be workshops in Paris and Prague and eventually Arles in 2023 and I continue my online mentoring for photographers of all levels.
I don't have a precise idea of the evolution of my work in the future. I will just follow my nose, follow my dreams and my longing. Generally, images come to me. I'm not actively seeking them. Magdala says we're just holding the door open to whatever wants to flow through us. I like that image of the artist being a facilitator of the flow of dreams.