The series “Pole Vault” was created over three years during the annual Decathlon meeting in Lenzen’s hometown of Ratingen, Germany. The photographer wants to present this aesthetic sport differently than the normal sports photography.
In doing so, he has chosen a very minimalist, artistic composition. His image details of the body and the pole indicate the flight. We see arms, legs, feet, the pole bar, but never do we see a face. The motion of the pole vaulters is captured as their bodies fly through the air, as the athletes stretch and glide, seeming to gracefully defy gravity. Without ever showing a whole body or action, it thus excites the viewer’s imagination. The minimalist presentation is enhanced by the deliberate choice of grainy tones of middle grey.
Klaus Lenzen is a retired banker and living near Duesseldorf, which is located in the western part of Germany. His photographic journey began ten years ago. Lenzen’s photographic subjects are primarily minimalist photographs, often monochrome, often also in grey tones. Lenzen lets himself be inspired from time to time by the minimalist black and white pictures of Bernd and Hilla Becher or the large-format works of Andres Gursky.
Several of his pictures were awarded at national and international Photo awards. For example: Sony World Photography Awards, Open Category Winner 2018 and 2021, shortlisted 2018, 2019, 2021; CHROMATIC AWARDS Category Winner 2020; HEAD ON Photo Awards Sydney Finalist 2020 , Semi-finalist 2021, Minimalist Photographer of the Year 2019; SIENA International Photo Awards Category Winner 2019; Prix de la Photographie (PX3) Paris 2019, Winner Fine Art; Tokyo International Photo Awards 2018, Gold ; International Photo Awards (IPA), Fine Art Photographer of the Year 2018; Lensculture B&W Photography Award 2018 Editor’s Pick; THE INDEPENDENT PHOTOGRAPHER, First Price 2018; 15th Smithsonian Photo Contest 2017, Finalist; CHROMATIC AWARDS 2017 Category Winner.
His work has been published (B&W MINIMALISMMAG, AAP MAGAZINE, The Best of LensCulture, REPONSES PHOTO, Aesthetica Magazine, Silvershotz, SCHWARZWEISS, Pictures Magazine, WTM Magazine, iGNANT Magazine) and exhibited internationally (Somerset House London, Aperture Gallery New York, Willy-Brandt-Haus Berlin, Klompching Gallery New York). [Official Website]