20—25 Markus Andersen
2025 is here. As we shift our gaze from 2024, we look to a fresh set of twelve months, new opportunities, new challenges, new dynamics and new frontiers for photography. To help navigate 2025, we turn to some of the most established photographic talents in Australia and beyond with a series of rapid-fire questions. About photographs and photographing. But also about life.
20 photographers. 25 questions each.
In the second instalment, we hear from photographic artist, Markus Andersen.
Markus Andersen is a photographic artist.
He has held solo and collaborative exhibitions in New York, Paris, Toronto, Istanbul, Sydney and the United Kingdom; and his work is represented in numerous private and institutional collections.
Andersen was the subject of a documentary entitled Into the Belly of the Beast by noted director Rob Norton & Cabramatta: Into the light by multi discipline artist Maria Tran
In 2015 / 2016 Andersen's first book "Rage Against The Light" was released through T&G Publishing.
In 2017 his second book "Cabramatta: a moment in time" was released through T&G Publishing.
In 2021 his third book "INTIMATE" was released through T&G Publishing.
What’s the most important/your favourite photo you’ve ever made?
A picture of an elderly man with a cane (shot from from behind him) staring at the shadow of his own body.
What’s the best thing about street photography?
Everything.
What’s the worst thing about street photography?
Everything.
What’s your favourite photo book of 2024?
Pharmakon. Teju Cole.
Who is the photographer that has influenced you most?
I wouldn’t say that there was a single photographer or artist that has influenced me - more a collection.
What body of work has influenced you most?
Again, there are so many that have influenced me as opposed to a single body of work.
What’s a location you’re yet to visit but would like to?
Himalayas.
35mm or 50mm
35mm. Probably 28mm to be honest.
Film or digital?
Film always.
What’s the best photobook you saw in 2024?
American Geography. Matt Black.
What’s the best film you saw in 2024?
Melancholia
Where will photography be in five years from now?
Commercial photography continues its decline thanks to AI and art photography will be struggling even more so (in terms of galleries and artists being able to survive from the sales of their work). Film photography will always have its niche.
Where will photography be in 25 years from now?
I have absolutely no idea.
How does photography’s role continue to evolve in a time of AI, space exploration and continually divisive politics?
For me, shooting film is a good way to combat AI as you have physical proof of the original image. In addition, there should be huge pushback on AI being called photography, from every creative.
Images from massive telescopes directed at the far reaches of space will continue to enlighten humanity to the nature of the past and towards the possibilities of the future.
Honestly, I don’t know regarding politics, with AI evolving so rapidly no one will able to discern what is a real image and what is an AI construct. So no image will be trusted by the masses in the political arena.
How do you think this will further play out across art/publishing/design?
It really depends if artists take a stand against AI and call it out whenever it has been used instead of the work of an actual human artist / photographer / Designer etc.
Does the role of the photobook continue to evolve in this sense?
Photobooks should always remain what they have always been - a creation made by the human hand and not by a prompt into an application.
Will film photography ever disappear?
No.
Thoughts on AI?
The less said the better.
Thoughts on Trump?
As above.
Thoughts on billionaires?
As Above.
Thoughts on cryptocurrency?
Honestly none.
What are you looking forward to in 2025?
It not being like 2024.
What are you not looking forward to in 2025?
Global instability on every level imaginable.
What’s the most important piece of advice you have for street photographers?
Always shoot in terms of a body of work and not randomly.
Is there an Australian photographer whose work is piquing your interest at the moment?
Julian Kingma is brilliant.
And finally: why photograph?
As an escape from reality.