FLORIAN MAIER-AICHEN (B. 1973)

German-born Florian Maier-Aichen is a photographer for the 21st century in both subject and technique. His digital manipulations of photographs render it impossible to discern where reality ends and fiction begins. Untitled, 2007 features the logo of the Italian film production company that was a dominant player in 1950s and 1960s that nearly became defunct after a couple of major flops. Is this a celebration of a once-great company or a criticism of the excesses of the film industry, Maier-Aichen seems to be asking. Here we see the influence of Ed Ruscha, not only in its subject matter but also in the way it reconsiders the relationship of depth and flatness as Maier-Aichen does in much of his celebrated photography.