THOMAS DEMAND
Munich, Germany, 1964

Tavern I, 2006. C-Print/ Diasec, 275 x 170 cm
Tavern II, 2006. C-Print/ Diasec, 178 x 244 cm
Tavern III, 2006. C-Print/ Diasec, 199 x 258 cm
Tavern IV, 2006. C-Print/ Diasec, 103 x 68 cm
Tavern V, 2006. C-Print/ Diasec, 197 x 137 cm
Acquired in 2021

Thomas Demand’s photographic experimentation dates back to the beginning of his career, which he started as a sculptor before turning his focus to photography and film. It was then that he began constructing complex life-sized models of still lifes, landscapes, and building interiors using colored paper. After photographing these models, the artist destroys them.

This series depicts a tavern in the German village of Burbach where, in 2001, a five-year-old boy was supposedly held hostage. To this day, his body has not been recovered. All the people accused of involvement were found not guilty.