ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Tobias Ulbrich is a photographer from Berlin, who has been exclusively taking analog photos for around 11 years capturing moments of people in their everyday situations in all parts of the world. The majority of photos were taken in context of professional trips as an environmental engineer and during skateboarding journeys around the globe. Sometimes to quite remote corners with his analog camera as a loyal travel companion.
His work can be assigned to the “Street Photography” genre in which Tobias Ulbrich pays homage to the
classic art of analog photography. In an era dominated by digital Imagery, Ulbrich embraces the tactile and unpredictable nature of film. His photographs invite viewers to slow down and appreciate the subtle nuances, imperfections, and enduring allure of analog photography. Tobias‘ entire collection can exclusively be seen in analog form at his photo exhibitions; extensive online appearances are deliberately avoided. His exhibitions were shown, among others, in Miami, Zurich, Berlin, Vienna, Hamburg, & Bratislava.
EN ROUTE
The analog photos by Tobias Ulbrich can appropriately and thematically be described with the phrase “En Route” and they all capture moments of people in public life in different corners of the world. The images depict people along roads or in transit in special moments, be it beautiful, abstract, simple, melancholic, dynamic or otherwise expressive. „En Route” explores the rich diversity of life, culture, and landscapes through Ulbrich’s vintage lenses. Sometimes very close and intimate, sometimes further away, always dignified. Sometimes with a focus on the detail, sometimes the people embedded in a scene of “public spaces”
What connects the works is that they were all created on streets, along roads, junctions or in transition situations of some sort –enroute- and to put it simply, they display the small, special moments of being a human. Regardless of where we are, we can find those touching moments everywhere in the world and this is what “En Route” is highlighting and paying homage to. “En Route” portraits life as it is - raw, analog, tangible, imperfect. Tobias Ulbrich’s exhibitions aim at contributing to preserving the essence of authenticity.
The analog photos shown at Youngblood Gallery are taken, among others, in Nepal, Mozambique, Italy, Oman, Hong Kong, China, Sudan and Djibouti. Long descriptions along with the photos are not to be found, as Tobias wants his images to generate an individual experience within each observer. Inviting and inspiring the viewer to create their own stories along with the images during the exhibition.
PHOTOSCHWEIZ 2024
Tobias was invited back by Switzerland’s biggest Photo exhibition’s Lead Curator as #1 pick for 2024. The Lead Curator, Daniel Bolliger about Tobias’ Photos: “Tobias Ulbrich exhibited at PhotoSCHWEIZ 23 last January, and his pictures caught my attention pretty quickly. I fell in love with his photography straight away. Since then, I have stayed in contact with him. Tobi lives in Berlin and has been shooting exclusively analogue for 11 years. His photography holds a freshness and sensuality that totally captivates me. I like the roughness in his analog photography. The colours and shapes are also characterised by a strong liveliness and honesty. It is the small, special moments of being human that fascinate me in his pictures.”
