Studio: Blending Model with Reality - Hardcover

by Jojakim Cortis (Author), Adrian Sonderegger (Author)

German-Swiss artist duo Cortis & Sonderegger's reality-bending photographs of a tiny model version of their studio.

At first glance, photographs of German-Swiss artist duo Cortis & Sonderegger's studio appear to contain everyday objects. Yet suddenly, perspective shifts--large things appear small, and small ones appear impossibly big. In Studio, Jojakim Cortis and Adrian Sonderegger play a sophisticated game with and about the authenticity of photography. Boundaries between the genuine and the fake get blurred.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21, Cortis & Sonderegger built a detailed model of their own studio near Zurich with much of its furnishings, of which they took countless photographs. These images turn our viewing experience upside down and invite us to take a closer look. The artists' play with reality becomes visible on various levels: the view from the model's window shows the real studio space; proportions look weirdly distorted; and occasionally, Cortis & Sonderegger themselves appear as protagonists.

In today's world, with myriads of images produced every day, Cortis & Sonderegger's Studio series constitutes a counterpoint to the latest developments in photography and AI-based image generation.

Author Biography

Jojakim Cortis and Adrian Sonderegger are based in Zurich, where they work as freelance artists, photographers, and educators. They began their artistic collaboration during their studies at Zurich University of the Arts in 2001.