"Werber bei Werner" at the "KeineKunst" gallery
Last weekend, Bern’s creative scene was abuzz with excitement over the opening at the «KeineKunst» gallery. The event centered on the large-format coffee-table book *Werber bei Werner*.
For two days, the advertising scene stood on each other's feet in the gallery. The photo book includes most of the creative minds from the Bernese advertising scene (77 in total), and all the strong agencies are represented. And all photographed by top-class Swiss-German people and advertising photographer Werner Tschan.
"Advertiser at Werner"
Tired of door-to-door canvassing, Werner Tschan invites his customers to his studio for a photo shoot. Word of Tschan's own affair quickly spreads in the favor industry. The first 45 or so confirmations were followed by mostly voluntary registrations. The photographer receives the last request less than 24 hours before the data needs to be prepared for the print shop. Nevertheless, even the very last advertiser is placed in the center of attention in front of a neutral background at Studio LTD. The customer is the concept, Tschan comments meaningfully on his labor of love.
The self-promotion campaign becomes "Werber bei Werner" - the portrait book that was on display and for sale at the "Keine Kunst" exhibition on September 8 and 9, 2012. In the end, the photographer managed 77 variations - despite mostly black clothing and many dark glasses frames. And just as everyone was allowed to submit their own picture to Tschan, each portrait is given its own double page: In the open "flatbook", the expected fold in the middle of the book is practically impossible to make out. With no visible binding, the photographs are shown to their best advantage across the entire width.
25 years are "no art"
Since 2010, the free art forum "KeineKunst" has been presenting artists, "Keinekünstler" and their works in Werner Tschan's studio for photography in Bern on a quarterly basis, concentrated on one weekend. There is a good reason why the initiator of "KeineKunst" is using the institution to exhibit his own photographs: Studio LTD is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. In addition, Tschan emphasizes that he has always made commerce, not art.
The portrait book is being published in a first edition of 250 numbered and signed copies and is available from Werner Tschan at a price of 200 francs.
