Bio

Susanne Bartels – Artist Biography I am a photographic artist based in Munich, Germany, with a deep focus on human presence, emotional truth, and the quiet complexity of urban life. My journey began at the age of eight with an Agfa film camera, a gift from my grandmother that opened the door to a lifelong fascination with storytelling through images. Although I initially pursued a degree in pharmacy, the pull toward visual expression became impossible to ignore. I immersed myself in the study of photography and art, eventually refining my craft under the mentorship of world-renowned photographers such as Steve McCurry, David Alan Harvey, and Marc De Tollenaere. These experiences gave me not only technical knowledge, but the courage to pursue my own path — one rooted in empathy, curiosity, and close observation. My work lives at the intersection of street photography and conceptual narrative. I am drawn to the emotional landscapes people carry with them — their desires, their masks, their moments of vulnerability and resilience. I often photograph individuals as though they were still-life scenes, and dolls as though they were human. This duality is central to my artistic thinking: abstraction and recognition, movement and stillness, what is seen and what is hidden. I gravitate toward places where life spills into public space — streets in Mexico, India, or Puerto Rico — but also toward the quiet interiors of my own city, Munich. Whether in chaos or silence, I search for universal themes: the transience of beauty, the innocence of childhood, the instinct to connect, and the inevitable passage of time. Selected Exhibitions: • Botswana – The Special Moment, Galerie München, 2017 • Mirrors and Windows, Galerie München, 2022 • The Beautiful Helena, Rencontres d’Arles (OFF Program), 2023 • Rifletti prima di riflettere, Galerie München, 2024 • Amazing Grace, M-Yard München, 2024 • ENSEMBLE, Windfall GmbH, 2025 Awards and Recognitions: • Gold Medal, Paris International Street Photography Award (PISPA), “Street & Children” category, 2024 • Honorable Mention, Street Macadam Award, 2024 Selected Publications: • Mirrors and Windows exhibition booklet, 2022 • A State of Consciousness artist book, 2023 • Rifletti prima di riflettere art print zine, 2023 • Burn Oaxaca Zine artist book, 2024 • Beneath the Surface artist book, 2024 • Rifletti prima di riflettere portfolio, Profifoto magazine, Issue 12/2024 • City Surfers hardcover monograph, 2025 In 2025, I released City Surfers, a long-term photographic study of the Eisbach wave in Munich. The book explores the tension between movement and stillness, nature and city, public spectacle and personal ritual. It combines street photography with portraiture, offering a visual reflection on freedom, risk, and identity — all centered around a single wave in the heart of the city. Alongside my personal projects, I work as an online curator for street_me_up, a platform dedicated to contemporary street photography. I am also currently engaged in a multi-year exploration of a closed social community in Puerto Rico, where I photograph the contrasts between isolation and collective memory. Another ongoing project follows young people in Munich seeking intense, liminal experiences in public space — a portrait of youth between rebellion, self-staging, and vulnerability. My images are black and white by choice — not for nostalgia, but to remove distractions and bring viewers closer to the emotional core of each scene. I believe photography can be both a mirror and a window: a way of seeing others more clearly, and perhaps seeing ourselves more honestly.