Carmen Catuti: Liebe Grüße aus 18500 m Höhe, Michelle
The publication "Liebe Grüße aus 18500 m Höhe, Michelle" by Carmen Catuti shows a special kind of collaboration between photographer and subject. For months Catuti portrayed Michelle, a well-known personality from Dortmund. During the process, the portraits, with the photographer as an observer, were transformed into a series of portraits in which Michelle's self-perception was captured. Catuti's book shows the result of a power struggle for self-perception and the perception of others.
How did you get the idea for this unusual book project?
The book was created between 2010 and 2011, at that time I studied photography in Dortmund.
Michelle, the protagonist of the book, is a well-known personality in Dortmund because of his eccentric appearance. Almost daily he strolled with his white dog along Dortmund's pedestrian zone. I often met him there and was fascinated by him for a long time before I finally dared to talk to him.
His whole appearance and self-dramatization were a mystery and I was curious to learn more about him. At first, photography was only an excuse to get in contact with him. He accepted immediately, which totally astonished me. Normally people I approach on the street react more sceptically at first, ask more precisely why I chose them and what is supposed to happen with the photos afterwards. He was not interested in such questions at all. In retrospect, I think that at this point we both got involved in a game with pre-fabricated roles. I introduced myself as a photographer who was only interested in photographing him. He took the role of the model quite naturally and later used the photo shootings as a stage.
What fascinates you most about humans? And what fascinates you most about Michelle?
We are all full of contradictions, most of which we are not even aware of because we act blind. Contradictions are hard to bear. Our identity is not a homogeneous whole, but rather a patchwork of different personalities. These personalities are also related to each other. If they pursue different values and goals it leads to inner conflicts. Nevertheless, we always try to present a consolidated picture to the outside world. Depending on the situation, we more or less succeed.
I see Michelle as an example of this, he fascinates me because I recognize myself in him, I recognize the human condition in him. My self-dramatizations are not as elaborate and extravagant as his, but you could say that he is more playful and has more fun playing.
What are the biggest challenges in making photo books?
I see the biggest challenge in the sequence of the pictures. You establish a sequence and bring pictures into relationship with each other. You want the relationship you create to be more exciting than the pictures alone. There should be an added value that is not exhausted even after the hundredth leafing through. I love Diane Arbus quotes about photography: "A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you the less you know." I do the same with photo books. Although you have more information available and bring together different sources of information (picture, text, layout, materials), this information should not steal the secret, but contribute to the secret.
When two pictures cross-fertilise each other in this way, when they open up a new space together without naming it concretely, then it is a matter of subtle connections, then it usually happens on the fine emotional level. In retrospect, our intellect can find reasons why these two pictures fit together so well, but it is impossible to grasp it concretely.
When putting the pictures together, I simply tried things out and followed my feelings. In order not to get completely lost in chaos, I had to define some "rules of the game". I divided the pictures into different groups and for each group I defined a different page layout.
Do you have a favorite page in the book?
I like the double page with the sheepdog portrait and the birds. It is one of the few double pages where Michelle is not to be seen. But the white sheepdog represents him very well. Michelle herself has chosen him as a representative, so to speak. And in fact the dog in the picture looks strangely human.
The bird picture is related to Michelle's SMS, which are also included in the book, and in which Michelle tells about his travels as a pilot. But for me the bird picture is also a kind of localization. If this story takes place somewhere, it is in these airy heights. It is a picture compilation which is absurd on the one hand and on the other hand makes a lot of sense to me.
Carmen Catuti
