MICHAEL DANNER // Critical Mass
Text by Susanne Holschbach
with photographs by Günter Zint
and the archive of the police department
Design -SYB-
In his work CRITICAL MASS Michael Danner documents the architecture, everyday routine, and security systems of all 17 German nuclear power plants, as well as the radioactive waste repository Asse II and the Gorleben exploratory mine. High hopes and deep skepticism have accompanied the use of nuclear power up to the present day. In the euphoric mood that prevailed in the 1950s, everything seemed possible; people took part in an unprecedented economic upswing and found nuclear energy to be a fascinating technology of the future. But in the 1980s the optimism of the years of boom gave way to a skepticism that was further fueled by the catastrophic nuclear accident in Chernobyl. Anti-nuclear activism has now shaped the political consciousness of a whole generation. And the disaster in Fukushima in 2011 heralded yet a new era in the debate - it seems that a nuclear phase-out in the medium-term is now inevitable. However, the issue of the final disposal of radioactive waste is still unresolved.
The photographs in CRITICAL MASS give us a rare glimpse behind the scenes of nuclear power plants, showing areas that are normally off-limits. Danner's series is accompanied by historical images and texts that document the planning and construction phases of the plants and visualize the social tensions. The layout of the book and the cut through the front cover refer to the interaction of the pre- sent time and the past and the conflict between nuclear power opponents and the authorities.
The photography book CRITICAL MASS features on 288 pages 122 of Danner's color photographs from the past four years as well as 29 black and white images by Günter Zint and the archive of the police department. Susanne Holschbach reflects in her essay the project and -SYB- has designed the book.
www.dannercriticalmass.com
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Hardcover 17x22.5cm
288 pages
122 color and
29 b/w-illustrations
German/English
Kehrer Publishers Heidelberg - Berlin ISBN 978-3-86828-391-4
****FOUR COPIES IN STOCK****
Title - CRITICAL MASS
Publication date - 2013
Edition size - 1,000
Dimensions - 17x22.5cm
with photographs by Günter Zint
and the archive of the police department
Design -SYB-
In his work CRITICAL MASS Michael Danner documents the architecture, everyday routine, and security systems of all 17 German nuclear power plants, as well as the radioactive waste repository Asse II and the Gorleben exploratory mine. High hopes and deep skepticism have accompanied the use of nuclear power up to the present day. In the euphoric mood that prevailed in the 1950s, everything seemed possible; people took part in an unprecedented economic upswing and found nuclear energy to be a fascinating technology of the future. But in the 1980s the optimism of the years of boom gave way to a skepticism that was further fueled by the catastrophic nuclear accident in Chernobyl. Anti-nuclear activism has now shaped the political consciousness of a whole generation. And the disaster in Fukushima in 2011 heralded yet a new era in the debate - it seems that a nuclear phase-out in the medium-term is now inevitable. However, the issue of the final disposal of radioactive waste is still unresolved.
The photographs in CRITICAL MASS give us a rare glimpse behind the scenes of nuclear power plants, showing areas that are normally off-limits. Danner's series is accompanied by historical images and texts that document the planning and construction phases of the plants and visualize the social tensions. The layout of the book and the cut through the front cover refer to the interaction of the pre- sent time and the past and the conflict between nuclear power opponents and the authorities.
The photography book CRITICAL MASS features on 288 pages 122 of Danner's color photographs from the past four years as well as 29 black and white images by Günter Zint and the archive of the police department. Susanne Holschbach reflects in her essay the project and -SYB- has designed the book.
www.dannercriticalmass.com
Hardcover 17x22.5cm
288 pages
122 color and
29 b/w-illustrations
German/English
Kehrer Publishers Heidelberg - Berlin ISBN 978-3-86828-391-4
****FOUR COPIES IN STOCK****
Title - CRITICAL MASS
Publication date - 2013
Edition size - 1,000
Dimensions - 17x22.5cm