Mathias Bertram

For 10 years, Mathias Bertram has sought out surreal looking images and structures by the side of the road in Berlin and on his travels, capturing them in at-times puzzling photographs. He finds romantic landscapes in worn building facades, strange mythical creatures in faded street markings, maps of unknown continents on construction site containers, or virtuoso dancers in shattered steps. At first glance, his photographs could be mistaken for illustrations or paintings, but these motifs and shapes were created by time alone, gradually wearing away at things. Moisture, wind, and air cause them to age, while corrosion and collision slowly destroy them. However, as these things fall apart, something new is created that can lend dignity and beauty to the process of ageing-a "becoming through decaying". Bertram's photographs extract these trivial everyday items from their natural context, encouraging us to see them from an aesthetic perspective; a school of seeing that sharpens the gaze for the sensations of everyday life. AUTHOR: Mathias Bertram, born in Berlin in 1960, is a publicist, curator and designer. From 2003 to 2015, he was artistic director of Lehmstedt Verlag Leipzig. He is the editor of numerous editions on East German photography and the author of essays and books on German literary and cultural history. At the Roadside is his third photography book. SELLING POINTS: . Mathias Bertram has found images of captivating beauty by the side of the road . Abstract photographs that at times appear like artworks 83 colour illustrations