Science & Fiction

Just in time for the Leitz-Park Festival on 10 September, a new exhibition by photographer and video artist Jamal Ageli will open in Leitz-Park forest. On display are photographs from his project 'Polaris', in which he explores the physical and metaphysical dimensions of outer space and captures his findings in spectacular and truly extraterrestrial photographs.

Jamal Ageli dedicates himself to astrophotography in various ways: documentary in the context of his work as a photographer for the European Space Agency (ESA), and conceptual, in that he sees the universe as a canvas and creates creative images with the available light. He calls this 'abstract astronomy' and earns a lot of attention for it: the sun becomes a shimmering bubble and a cluster of stars becomes geometric splashes of colour on the canvas. 'In documentary work, such as for the ESA or as an astrophotographer' Jamal Ageli explains, 'I'm interested in a presentation that is as science-photographic as possible, that conveys a fact or experiment set-up in a way that is understandable but also visually interesting. But then there are the things between us and the universe that cannot be made visible by naturalistic means. The temporal and spatial dimensions that we cannot comprehend and that fascinate us for that very reason.'

Jamal Ageli (*1997) lives between Frankfurt/Main and Amsterdam. He works for various commercial clients and has already presented his work in several international exhibitions. He is currently doing his Bachelor of Design in Photography at the Royal Academy of Arts in Den Haag.

The outdoor exhibition 'Polaris' will open on the occasion of the Leitz Park Festival and will subsequently be open to the public for free. It invites families and photography and nature lovers to experience fascinating images in the midst of nature during a relaxed walk. In addition, the nature trail (ca. 3 km) offers an opportunity to discover the local flora and fauna: along the trail, information boards explain the changes in nature over the course of the seasons and provide an insight into the forest habitat.