As part of his project Waterfonie, Ulay, pseudonym for Uwe Laysiepen, [* 1943 Germany, since 1968 in Amsterdam] made in 2009 an expedition to Patagonia. His intention was to document all aspects of water: clouds, glaciers, icebergs and rivers. The 36 unique photos that will be presented in outLINE, have been shot with 2 Nokia N82 mobile phones, and occasionally with a Leica binocular used as telephoto lens. The body of work that has been created has a distinct appearance, similar to the Impressionist landscape painting and iconography. Through the creative use of basic equipment, the photo's of imposing clouds, wild icebergs and rugged emerald rivers and lakes have obtained a beautiful nuance, incomparable with high definition nature films.

Since 2002 Ulay has been engaged in water projects. He initiated the multi-dimensional art project Watertoall.
Water as a vital source of life and the challenges within the global water issue constitute for him an endless inspiration. With his projects he attempts to create a visual and metaphorical manifestation of the subject in order to increase global awareness about water and on water issues. With the power of photography Ulay wants to communicate the vital importance of water.

Waterfonie is a continuation of Watertoall, in which he visualizes a range of issues connected with water through an interactive multimedia website; a platform for digital media productions with as topic water.
After registration at the site www.waterfonie.nl, artists are invited to upload their water-related images and to discuss and communicate within the forum. The works made using mobile media technology can be seen on the Waterfonie site.

Since the seventies Ulay has enjoyed international fame for the controversial performances first alone and later in collaboration with Marina Abramovic, which he filmed and photographed. Well- known are their 'Relational Works', in which they shared their nomadic and artistic existence with the public. [ for example 'In Space' 1976, 'Breathing in - Breathing Out' 1977, 'The Lovers' : the famous Great Wall Walk of 1988 etc.] He is also well-known for his celebrated theft of Hitler's favourite painting, Karl Spitzweg ' The Poor poet' from the National Gallery in Berlin. [filmed and photographed] He hung it in an apartment belonging to Turkish immigrants, and invited the gallery director to enjoy the painting in a new setting.

In the seventies Ulay specialized himself further in Polaroid photography; fascinated by the medium of its direct and once-only character. From the eighties he worked with a unique Polaroid camera with which he could make life size prints. He made many self portraits or 'auto polaroids'. Since then he has focused exclusively on photography, always looking for different new forms to give conceptual shape to existential issues.

'cold hare AT dawn' video by Jurriaan Löwensteyn

During the exhibition the 36 unique photographs will be on offer for a special price: € 500 [€ 590 later].The proceeds of the sale will 'flow back' to the project Waterfonie. Image size: 18x24 cm, 29x35 cm framed.

christine van den Bergh [curator]