Axel Hütte

Axel Hütte is a German photographer renowned for his enigmatic images capturing landscapes and cities such as London and Paris. He is widely recognized as a key figure of the Düsseldorf School of Photography.

Biography of Axel Hütte

Axel Hütte, born in 1951 in Essen, studied photography at the Düsseldorf Art Academy from 1973 to 1981 under Bernd Becher. He also received a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service to study in London. From 1986 to 1988, he was awarded the Karl Schmidt-Rottluff scholarship.

In 1993, Hütte was honored with the Hermann Claasen Prize for Creative Photography. Since then, he has pursued a career as a freelance photographer.

His solo exhibitions include "Chronostasis" at Borusan Contemporary in Istanbul (2022), "T R A C E S London – Berlin" at Daniel Marzona in Berlin (2021), "Kosmos Tropical" at Daniel Marzona in Berlin (2019), "Axel Hütte – In anderen Welten" at Helga de Alvear Gallery in Madrid (2018), "Axel Hütte. Unterwegs – In der Ferne" at Museum Franz Gertsch in Burgdorf (2018), and many more.

Additionally, Hütte's works have been featured in numerous group shows held at various venues worldwide, including  Emsdettener Kunstverein in Emsdetten, Museo Villa dei Cedri in Bellinzona, Max Hetzler in Berlin, Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Art Gallery of Barbican Center in London, Huis Marseille in Amsterdam, Brandts Museet for Fotokunst in Odense, among others. 

Currently, the artist resides and works between Düsseldorf and Berlin, Germany.

Axel Hütte's Art Style

In addition to his documentary-style work, since the late 1990s, Hütte has also directed his interest towards subjects that appear more painterly, such as landscapes and cityscapes. His photographs of architecture, including bridges, stairwells, corridors, and subway stations, depict seemingly mundane objects, sometimes only fragments, in a disciplined yet understated form without overt sensory allure.

His work reflects on the mimetic possibilities of photography, where the primary goal is not merely to capture the exact nature of reality through the camera, but to contemplate the relationship between images.

Through meticulously constructed geometric compositions and the deliberate use of long exposure times, Hütte crystallizes his landscapes, imparting them with a timeless quality.