German photographer Astrid Korntheuer captures colourfully chaotic scenes

The confined chaos within Astrid Korntheuer’s images hits you instantly, as though the vibrant disorder is actively trying to push its way through the edges of the photograph. The series titled Natures Morte (Still Life), was conceived by photographing 25 square metre installations the German photographer made herself using various materials to create a man-made forest of jumble.

The series feels anything but ‘still’, with Astrid changing the materials, colours and composition for each photograph, creating a spontaneity, freedom and playfulness. Scenes of messy bedrooms, hyperactive birthday parties and the unwrapping of Christmas are all conjured when I look at these. The sheer excess of tinsel, paper, streamers and balloons works incredibly well especially when light and shadow dance around these objects to provide a wonderful, crackling electricity. It’s Astrid’s ability to capture this out-of-context moment and freeze the pandaemonium, that excites me so much when looking at this series.