Audience, Florence Audience 01, Florenz 2004

Thomas Struth (b. 1954, Geldern, Germany) is one of today’s leading artists and one of the most influential photographers in post-World War II Europe. In his production, he does not record situations, but rather observes carefully, slowing down time to capture the most amazing details and nuances—only visible to the watchful eye.

Struth’s artistic evolution mirrors the changing social context over the years. His early photographs (1973–76), taken when he was still studying at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, focused on street views of the city. Since then, series like Streets of New York City, Unconscious Places (Unbewusste Orte), Family Portraits, Museum Photographs, Audiences, New Pictures from Paradise, and, more recently, Nature & Politics and Animals illustrate the variety of genres the artist deals in, making unexpected connections that only become evident when the photographs reveal them.