CHAOS DIGITAL /MARTIN ROEMERS RESEARCH

Martin Roemers was born in August 21st, 1962 in Oldehove, Netherlands. He is a Dutch photographer and artist. He studied at the aki ACADEMY of Visual Arts in Enschede, the Netherlands and graduated in 1991. For many years, he has worked on long-term projects that result in exhibitions and books such as Relics of the cold War, Kabul and The Eyes of War. His latest project is Metropolis, an exploration of the world's megacities. Martin Roemers' work has been exhibited throughout Europe, America, Asia and Australia. His work is represented in prominent public, corporate and private collections, among them the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Ford Foundation in New York and The Museum and The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas. Martin Roemers has written two books, one in 2007 called Final Days of Production and another in 2012 called Martin Roemers: The Eyes of War. This book was about him taking portrait photographs of thousands of people who had lost their eyesight as children or young soldiers during the Second World War. This book features around 40 portraits of war victims from Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ukraine and Russia. 

Martin Roemers, (2014), Piccadilly Circus, City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.martinroemers.com/work.php?serie_dir=02Metropolis:%20AFRICA,%20AMERICAS,%20EUROPE&nr=2 [Accessed 30 November 2017].

METROPOLIS: AFRICA, AMERICAS, EUROPE

This collection of work was taken with a long exposure from elevated positions so that he could get a perspective looking down and to at the scenery. Martin Roemers created these photographs using a large-format analogue cameras and film. The images that he has created has the movement blurred but all the images are in focus. 'Just over a century ago 13% of the worlds population lived in urban centres, the United Nations predicts that by the year 2050, close to six billion people - 75% of the global population - are expected to be concentrated in cities. The UN has also designated that 28 of these cities now meet their threshold of what constitutes a 'megacity' defined as urban areas with more than 10 million inhabitants. 

Globally, one in eight urban residents now live in a megacity and by 2030 it is predicted that there will be forty-one of these over-loaded metropolitan centres around the world. Martin Roemers has been fascinated by the vibrant energy and mix of cultures living amidst this chaos, inspiring him to create Metropolis (2007-2015), a collection of 85 photographs in which he portraits 22 megacities across five continents.'

Martin Roemers, (2014), Victoria Embankment, City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.martinroemers.com/work.php?serie_dir=02Metropolis:%20AFRICA,%20AMERICAS,%20EUROPE&nr=0 [Accessed 30 November 2017].

This is a piece of his work that was taken at Victoria Embankment in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom and was created in 2014. I really like how the slow shutter speed make the people looked blurred. I also love how the people are blurred but the background and buildings are in focus. This collection of his work consists mostly of slow shutter speed shots to show how populated these 'megacities' are.

Martin Roemers, (2014), Camden High Street, Camden Town, London, United Kingdom [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.martinroemers.com/work.php?serie_dir=02Metropolis:%20AFRICA,%20AMERICAS,%20EUROPE&nr=3 [Accessed 30 November 2017].

This was taken in Camden High Street in Camden Town, London, United Kingdom and was created in 2014. I really like the position and composition of this shot because you have all the shops to the side of the image then all the out of focus blurred people in the lower part of the photo. I also really like how much colour is in the photograph because it makes it look bold and bright. The shops themselves are old and unique in colour but the different colour of clothing on the people add to the colour.

Martin Roemers, (2015), Jardins du Trocadero, XVIe Arrondissement, Paris, France [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.martinroemers.com/work.php?serie_dir=02Metropolis:%20AFRICA,%20AMERICAS,%20EUROPE&nr=4 [Accessed 30 November 2017].

This photo was taken in Jardins du Trocadero, XVIe Arrondissement in Paris, France. He create this shot in 2015 to go along with the rest of his Metropolis collection.