Kurt Bauer's still lifes reveal place through overlooked details

Austrian photographer Kurt Bauer has self-published a portfolio titled 'Turista per Sempre' (Forever a Tourist), collecting works from the past six years. Bauer's approach involves looking at places with a visitor's mindset, whether far from home or nearby. His still life photographs capture overlooked details such as an untouched drink, an abandoned towel, or spilled food, aiming to evoke curiosity about what lies beyond the frame. With a background in art direction, Bauer transfers his studio composition skills to quick observations on the move. He emphasizes paying close attention and allowing room for chance, creating images that leave room for ambiguity and overlap between memory, observation, and imagination. Bauer believes these fragments tell more about a place than a postcard view ever could.