Conceptual nominee

The title "Code against Code" represents an equation in which the word "Code" can be replaced by any term. The resulting word combinations thus explain the foundations and describe the social themes depicted: Human Against Human, Society Against Society, Nature Against Nature.

In my work "Code Against Code" I illustrate the different facets of our society. In individual parts of the series, I explore different themes.

In one part, the photographs show the great emptiness that can arise when we realize that our expectations of life are difficult to fulfill. Social ideals and the increasing pressure of our modern structures leave us floating in artificial settings. There seems to be no connection between us and the environment.

Another part is about examining the effect of man on nature and our planet. In other photos I also refer to diseases that keep reminding us how uncertain our time on this planet is.

It is about us humans, our behavior and its effects. It is about social categorization, social exclusion and the lost awareness that we all share this one planet.

Raffaele Horstmann from Germany has been a freelance photographic artist since 2010. He works in parallel on different series of works that are constantly growing and changing in their process. The visually very different ways of working thereby also reflect the experiences of a person who has grown up in different value structures through his German and Italian roots. The concepts of his staged photography are a reminder of respect and mindfulness - towards the world, its people and their freedom.

"Photography allows me to convey emotions beyond the point where language and words have long made it impossible for me" - Raffaele Horstmann

Raffaele Horstmann's work thrives on contrasts and imbalance. Beauty is opposed to the imperfect, light to darkness and silence to the great noise of our time. The artist orientates himself thematically on current social, political or personal change and the repression of the present. He specifically takes up perspectives that reshape the usual view of the world.

In numerous exhibitions he shows his large-format photographs, which are often displayed in space-related and walk-in installations. He also regularly publishes books of his work series under his own direction.