Lars Eidinger: My highest demand on myself is to be honest with myself

Lars Eidinger: My highest demand on myself is to be honest with myself.

Lars Eidinger ©Franziska Stünkel

Lars Eidinger: "My highest demand on myself is to be honest with myself."

The new photography exhibition "Black & White Thinking" by Lars Eidinger is currently on show at the Leica Galerie Düsseldorf. On the occasion of the vernissage, the actor gave an interview to Alethea Magazine.

Lars Eidinger is not only one of the most famous German actors in cinema and theatre, think of "Alle Anderen", "Was bleibt", "Die Blumen von Gestern", "Personal Shopper" and "White Noise". Born in Berlin, he is also a DJ and photographer. He took his first photo of a hamster when he was only 6 years old. Later, Lars Eidinger began posting his photographs on Instagram and his much-discussed complete withdrawal from this medium disappointed his fans greatly. The photographs shown in the Leica Gallery were taken with a Leica M11. According to the curators, the exhibition is intended to "show reality unadulterated and also capture intermediate tones that often remain hidden in polarised thinking - the "Black & White Thinking" of the title." The artist found his motifs in cities such as Berlin, Budapest, Frankfurt am Main and Cannes.

The host of the photography exhibition in Düsseldorf, is Leica curator Ulla Born, who is also a photographer herself. At the vernissage on 7 May, the room below the photo shop was packed. Not only amateur photographers, but also well-known Düsseldorf art photographers and artists wanted to see the works of their colleague in person. Many found that the works were honest and serious, just like the actor himself.

18 June 2023

Interview Directory

ART

Name: Lars Eidinger

Occupation: Actor, DJ, musician and photographer

Education: Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch

Photo books: Hatje-Cantz book "Autistic Disco"

Current exhibition: "Black & White Thinking", Leica Galerie Düsseldorf, 8 May to 12 August 2023

"This occupied me because our time suffers from the distinction between good and evil. Right and wrong. Black and white."

Why did you start taking photographs?

I can't remember a time when I didn't take photographs. I started very early and one of the first pictures I took was of a hamster when I was 6 years old. This photo is also in the Hatje-Cantz book "Autistic Disco". In Berlin there used to be a career information centre where you filled in forms and at the end you were told what career you should take up. For me, it came out photographer.

Can you explain your title "Black & White Thinking" to the readers?

Actually, Black and White Thinking is a phenomenon from psychology. It is pathological and describes the phenomenon of cognitive distortion. One perceives the world in extremes and not as it actually appears, complex, full of nuances, intermediate tones and contradictions. This concerned me because our time suffers from the fact that we distinguish between good and evil. Right and wrong. Black and white.

"I observe it as a social phenomenon and also see myself as part of the problem."

You've always been able to recognise the nuances?

When I deal with it, it's not because I think I'm further along. I try to question myself, because I'm not a missionary who makes images that are critical of society and says he's free of it. Rather, I observe it as a social phenomenon and also see myself as part of the problem.

A lot has already been written about your decision to leave Instagram, even though you posted your artwork here.

It's not news, it's social media, it's about something social. But it doesn't live up to the claim that the name makes on the medium. I find it antisocial, even asocial. A toxic medium. I don't know anyone who feels better after being online for a few minutes. You can check it out for yourself if it's true. I couldn't imagine giving it up for a long time. It's like when I quit smoking. When you see people at the station who get off the train in between because they have to smoke a cigarette, they don't look liberated but sad and tormented.

Budapest - 2022 ©Lars Eidinger

"My highest demand on myself is to be honest with myself."

How do you deal with the weight of your own performance? Are you intimidated by yourself?

When I read interviews of others in the beginning, I was bothered by the fact that you seemed to be asked to be as modest as possible. But over the years you develop an awareness of your impact. I would even go so far as to say that this is essential to be able to practise the profession at all. I am aware of the effect I have on the audience. But if you are open and honest about it, it is resented. Resentment and contempt. My highest demand on myself is to be honest with myself.

How important is the response to the photographs here in the exhibition to you?

Lars Eidinger: The advantage of photography is that it does not have to explain itself and the images speak for themselves. The visual language can withstand more contradictions than the spoken word, which wants to be causal or logical. My pictures are not logical or understandable. They tell more about the viewer than about me. They are like mirrors in which we can look at ourselves.

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The exhibition "Black & White Thinking" can be seen from 8 May to 12 August 2023 at the Leica Galerie Düsseldorf in the KÖ Galerie (Königsallee 60)