Von 2019 bis 2021 habe ich den intensiven Kontakt zu Menschen gesucht, die kuriose Dinge sammeln. Solche, deren Motiv auf den ersten Blick etwas skurril oder entrückt wirken mag. Dabei habe ich mich bewusst auf die gesammelten Objekte konzentriert, denn wenn man mit den Augen des Sammlers auf die Bilder schaut, wird das, was eben noch als unsinnig, seltsam, wertlos, ja sogar eklig bezeichnet wurde, plötzlich klar, vertraut, schön und faszinierend. Die Beweggründe und Geschichten hinter den Sammlungen haben mich dazu gebracht, diese Arbeit zu fotografieren. Regine von Chossy aus München zum Beispiel sammelt, getrieben von einem Haarfetisch, Haare und stellt sie in ihrem eigenen Haarmuseum mit datierten und signierten Haarspenden aus. Der Fotograf Karl-Ludwig Lange sammelt Ziegelsteine, weil die darauf befindlichen Stempel ihm Aufschluss über die lokale Geschichte seiner Umgebung geben, und die Präparatorin Navena Widulin aus Berlin sammelt Gallensteine und setzt damit eine Tradition des Berliner Medizinhistorischen Museums der Charite fort.///From 2019 to 2021, I sought close contact with people who collect curious objects—items whose motivations may at first seem eccentric, peculiar, or somewhat detached. I deliberately focused on the collected objects themselves, because when one looks at them through the eyes of the collector, what had just seemed meaningless, strange, worthless, or even repulsive suddenly becomes clear, familiar, beautiful, and fascinating.The motivations and stories behind these collections inspired me to photograph this body of work. Regine von Chossy from Munich, for example, driven by a fascination with hair, collects hair and exhibits it in her own hair museum, featuring dated and signed donations. Photographer Karl-Ludwig Lange collects bricks because the stamps impressed on them reveal aspects of the local history of his surroundings. And taxidermist Navena Widulin from Berlin collects gallstones, thereby continuing a tradition of the Berlin Museum of Medical History at the Charité.///Book with 144 pages, softcoverArtist Edition of 100118 Pictures220 x 325 cmDesign by Miriam Waszelewski &amp; Maj Mlakar <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.mosk.co" style="text-decoration: underline; text-underline-offset: 2px;">www.mosk.co</a>45 €

Herr der Dinge 2019 – 2021

A red book with four inset images and German text. Cover of the Book Master of Things by Caroline Heinecke.

A silver "Deutscher Fotobuchpreis Shortlist" sticker on a red book cover.

Close-up of a broken matchstick with a green head bent into a U-shape.

A wooden matchstick with a red tip and several thin, pale fibers hanging from its side, set against a solid blue background.

An open book features various photographs of matches, including one with a heart made of matches, another with a single matchstick, and a close-up of a used match, all against a purple background.

A close-up of a matchstick with a teal head shaped like a human skull, against a blurred purple background.

A green-tipped match is bent into an arch shape against a peach background.

A wooden stirrer and a coffee bean floating against a purple background, casting shadows.

A single matchstick with a red tip on a teal background printed on a page of a book with a red spine.

A black matchstick with a split tip, topped with a dollop of white paste.

Three matches, one burned in half, stand in a matchbox against a yellow background.

A vertical, bright blue, slightly curved stick with rough patches and a dark indent on the upper half, against a pale purple background.

A close-up view through the cardboard tube of a yellow paper towel roll, revealing a blurred bathroom scene beyond.

An open book lies on a purple surface, displaying images of a bathroom with orange tiles and purple toilet paper.

Variously textured and colored toilet paper strips hang against a yellow tiled wall.

A large clock face on the side of a white house under a purple sky, next to a tall green tree.

A wooden accordion door with frosted glass panels partially conceals a wall adorned with an arrangement of vintage-style clocks.

A blue-green clock hangs on floral wallpaper next to an orange curtain and above patterned wrapping paper.

A wall and wooden cases filled with numerous vintage and modern clocks.

An open book with images of various clocks and cacti on a purple background.

A clothes drying rack filled with laundry on a tiled outdoor patio overlooking a vast landscape with a large clock on a cloudy day.

A vintage green and black speckled wall clock hangs above brown curtains gathered to reveal a window with a wooden grid.

An open book with light green pages and a red VII, Obj. 21/250 printed on the right page.

Three distinct crystals with rough textures are displayed on a pale, sandy surface.

An open book on a light purple surface shows an image of two round, textured, light brown objects on a red background.

An abstract image of a burnt log or wood, standing upright on a glittery dark-colored surface with smaller charred pieces of debris scattered around it.

An open book with images of natural objects and food on a purple background.

A collection of gallstones of varying sizes, colors, and textures, stored in clear containers and multi-well plates.

A hallway with a red runner on steps, red lips mat on a white rug, and an ornate rug partially visible.

Six worn tubes of lipstick in varying shades, including red, orange, pink, white, lavender, and coral, stand in a row against a black background.

Four ornate antique red lipsticks, two with exposed red tips, stand reflected on a black surface.

A dining room with a chandelier, framed pictures, a mannequin with a large pink feathered hat, and a table featuring oversized red and gold lipstick and nail polish sculptures.

A close-up of a vibrant blue comb tangled in golden brown hair with lighter highlights.

A man's black and white face obscured by a tangled mass of light brown hair on a piece of paper with an autograph below.

Close-up of a tangled bundle of  brown beard hair tied at the base with white string, set against a pink and purple backdrop.

A blonde wig displayed on a lilac background.

A brown curly wig rests in a pile of crumpled purple tissue paper.

A brown plastic bag sits in front of a pink and blue background.

An open book on a purple surface with a white plastic bag cut out against a dark grey background.

A colorful still life of a crumpled yellow plastic bag and a standing white paper bag with a floral pattern.

An open book against a purple background, with images of a crumpled blue bag and a white glossy handbag on its pages.

Several extracted and broken teeth with visible decay on a shiny red surface.

An open book showing pages with photographs of dental anatomy, including a large tooth model and labeled teeth samples, against a solid purple background.

A decayed tooth with green roots and a dark cavity, standing on a reflective surface with a red light streak in the background.

An open book with white pages on the left and an image of extracted teeth on a red background on the right, set against a light purple surface.

A close-up view through the cardboard core of a roll of yellow paper towels, showing another roll in the background.

Assorted patterns of toilet paper in various shades of white, beige, and yellow against a yellow tiled wall.

Three rolls of toilet paper in black, yellow, and pink colors are arranged against a tiled wall above a textured mat.

Three wooden matches with red tips, one of which is partially burnt, arranged in a matchbook on a yellow background.

A bathroom with light blue tiles featuring a white radiator beneath a recessed shelf holding nine rolls of assorted toilet paper.

Seven empty toilet paper rolls of various brands and colors stand upright on white tiled floor against a yellowish tiled wall.

A collection of floral patterned porcelain cake servers arranged on a pink lace tablecloth.

An open book with colorful images of plates, cutlery, and table linens on a purple background.

Eleven diverse porcelain cake servers with varying floral designs surrounding a white lace doily on a black background.

A top-down shot of a collection of ceramic pie servers with various patterns and colors on a black background.

Four rectangular, weathered bricks, one red and three sandy-colored, stacked on a warm brown surface against a cool blue background.

An open book with an image of abstract, textured, striped blocks of color on a light purple surface.

A textured rectangular brick with three vertical cutouts rests on a white pedestal against a textured yellow background.

An open book displaying two images of sculptural art objects, one made of rolled paper and the other a brick, on a purple background.

A small, red brick with holes sits atop a white rectangular pedestal against a textured light gray background.

A gray-green brick with a faint stamped design stands on a white pedestal in front of a white patterned background, with wooden shelves full of various bricks visible above and to the sides.

A carved golden sculpture with an arched base rests on a black rectangular pedestal.

An open book on a purple surface displays a large photograph of shelves filled with bricks, a computer, and rolls of paper.

An open magazine features text about matches and clocks, titled "KRANKE STREICHHÖLZER" and "BETRIEBSUHREN."

An open red book with "INDEX" written on the top is angled on a purple surface.

Autun
45 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 40 cm, Edition of 10

Die faszinierende Beziehung zwischen Mensch und Tier spiegelt sich nicht nur in der Geschichte ihrer gemeinsamen Entwicklung wider, sondern auch in der Rechtsprechung. Ein besonders eigentümliches Kapitel in diesem Zusammenhang sind die Tierprozesse, die im Mittelalter und in der frühen Neuzeit zahlreiche Gerichtsverfahren gegen Tiere umfassten. Diese reichten von Mordanklagen gegen Schweine bis hin zu kirchlichen Exkommunikationsverfahren gegen Heuschrecken und Käfer. Selbst die öffentliche Hinrichtung eines Zirkuselefanten findet ihren Platz in den Annalen der Geschichte. Diese Prozesse, auch wenn sie nur einen kleinen Teil der Rechtsgeschichte zwischen Mensch und Tier darstellen, zeugen von einem faszinierenden Zusammenspiel juristischer Strukturen und menschlicher Interaktion mit Tieren.Paw Paradox möchte dieses komplexe Thema beleuchten. Durch eine Serie von Arbeiten versucht das Projekt, zum Nachdenken über die vielschichtigen Dynamiken zwischen Mensch und Tier im rechtlichen Raum anzuregen. Unter Einbeziehung teilweise mit künstlicher Intelligenz erzeugter Bilder setzt sich das Projekt zudem mit Fragen von Eigentum und Urheberrecht an Bildern auseinander und fügt der Diskussion über Rechte eine weitere Ebene hinzu.In der fotografischen Umsetzung dieses Konzepts verfolgte mein künstlerisches Anliegen zwei Ziele: Erstens Tiere zu anthropomorphisieren und sie als fühlende Wesen mit Handlungsmacht darzustellen, und zweitens sie als Objekte zu zeigen, um historische und juristische Perspektiven sichtbar zu machen, die Tiere häufig auf bloßes Eigentum reduziert haben.1474, Basel, Schweiz Ein Hahn wurde vor Gericht gestellt, weil er angeblich ein ungewöhnliches Ei gelegt hatte.1916, Kingsport, Südstaaten der USA Eine Elefantenkuh wurde an einem Kran gehängt.1750, Vanves, Nordfrankreich Eine Eselin wurde in einem Sexualprozess als Opfer eingestuft.1508, Autun, Frankreich Öffentliche Anklage gegen Ratten, die Ernten und Lebensmittelvorräte bedrohten.1544, Beauvais, Frankreich Heuschrecken wurden wegen Ernteschäden angeklagt.1815, Hartlepool, Nordostengland Ein verkleideter Affe wurde als Spion gelyncht.2004, Kostanai, Zentralkasachstan Eine Bärin verbüßt eine fünfzehnjährige Gefängnisstrafe.1386, Falaise, Nordfrankreich Ein Schwein wurde in einem Schauprozess hingerichtet.///The fascinating relationship between humans and animals is reflected not only in the history of their shared development but also in jurisprudence. A particularly peculiar chapter in this regard is the animal trials that encompassed numerous legal proceedings involving animals during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. These trials ranged from murder charges against pigs to ecclesiastical excommunication procedures against grasshoppers and beetles. Even the public hanging of a circus elephant finds its place in the annals of history. These trials, albeit only a small part of the legal history between humans and animals, attest to a fascinating interplay of legal structures and human interaction with animals. "Paw Paradox" aims to shed light on this complex issue. Through a series of artworks, the project endeavors to provoke contemplation on the intricate dynamics between humans and animals within the legal sphere. Incorporating images partially generated with artificial intelligence, the project further delves into questions surrounding the ownership and copyright of images, adding another layer to the discussion of rights. In the photographic realization of this concept, my artistic endeavor was twofold: first, to anthropomorphize animals, presenting them as sentient beings with agency, and second, to portray them as objects, highlighting the historical and legal perspectives that have often relegated animals to mere property. 1474, Basel, Switzerland A Rooster was brought to trial for allegedly laying an unusual egg 1916, Kingsport, Southern United States Elephant cow hung from a crane 1750, Vanves, Northern France Female donkey classified as victim in sexual trial 1508, Autun, France Public accusation against rats that threatened crops and food supplies 1544, Beauvais, France Locusts accused of crop damage 1815, Hartlepool, Northeast England Costumed monkey lynched as a spy 2004, Kostanay, Central Kazakhstan Female bear serves fifteen-year prison sentence 1386, Falaise, Northern France Pig executed in show trial

Paw Paradox, 2023

Close-up of a rooster’s scaly legs, spurs, and talons against a red background.

Basel 1
60 x 45 cm, Edition of 10
80 x 60 cm, Edition of 5

Basel 2
45 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 40 cm, Edition of 10

Close-up of a rooster's red wattle against a blue sky.

Close-up of an elephant's trunk curled on its textured skin.

Kingsport 2
40 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 45 cm, Edition of 10

Close-up of a horse's neck in a black velvet collar with a large, shiny metallic band.

Vanves 1
40 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 45 cm, Edition of 10

A detailed, close-up shot of a horse's hoof showing texture and color variations against a black background.

Vanves 2
40 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 45 cm, Edition of 10

A fleshy, segmented blob with a dark hole on one end lies curled up on a gradient background.

Falaise 2
40 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 45 cm, Edition of 10

A rat's tail lies between two metal chains on a brown surface.

A preserved longhorn grasshopper specimen with a pin through its back on a white surface.

Beauvais
40 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 45 cm, Edition of 10

A close-up of a partially carved stone elephant, with one tusk visible and a green and dark background.

Kingsport 1
45 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 40 cm, Edition of 10

A furry animal hand with a large blue ring emerges from a brown sleeve, grasping a metal grid against a white wall.

Hartlepool
40 x 30 cm, Edition of 10
60 x 45 cm, Edition of 10

A taxidermied bear with light blue painted claws against a purple background.

Konstanay
60 x 45 cm, Edition of 10
80 x 60 cm, Edition of 10

A stylized person with a pig snout, ears, and eyebrows in a judge's robe sits in a courtroom.

'Paw Paradox' by Caroline Heinecke - a photographic series that reinterprets medieval animal processes through still life and AI elements.

Paw Paradox - animal trials of the Middle Ages interpreted photographically

Diese Arbeit versammelt Fotografien von Porträts auf Grabsteinen und untersucht sie als Ausdruck gelebter Erinnerungskultur.Fotos fungieren als Träger von Erinnerung: Sie bewahren Gesichter, konservieren Biografien und ermöglichen eine unmittelbare, emotionale Verbindung zur Vergangenheit. In der Trauer- und Bestattungskultur werden sie zu visuellen Ankerpunkten, die Nähe herstellen und das Andenken an Verstorbene im öffentlichen Raum sichtbar halten.Die Grabsteinfotografie ist dabei mehr als ein Abbild. Sie steht für den Versuch, Persönlichkeit, Identität und gelebtes Leben über den Tod hinaus zu bewahren. In vielen Kulturen werden diese Bilder bewusst ausgewählt und zeigen Menschen in Momenten von Freude, Aktivität oder Vertrautheit. Sie spiegeln das menschliche Bedürfnis nach Kontinuität, Unvergänglichkeit und Zugehörigkeit wider.Ein wesentlicher Aspekt der Arbeit ist die Frage nach der Auswahl dieser Bilder. Wer entscheidet über das letzte Porträt – die Hinterbliebenen oder der Verstorbene selbst? Welche Vorstellungen von Erinnerung, Selbstbild und Beziehung werden in dieser Entscheidung sichtbar? Durch das systematische Fotografieren und Archivieren der Porträts entsteht eine Sammlung, die diese individuellen Entscheidungen nebeneinanderstellt und vergleichbar macht.Das Projekt ist als fortlaufende fotografische Sammlung angelegt. Die Porträts werden aus ihrem ursprünglichen Kontext heraus fotografisch erfasst, bewahrt und in einen neuen Zusammenhang überführt. Entgegen der häufig düsteren Wahrnehmung von Friedhöfen zeigen viele dieser Bilder eine überraschende Lebendigkeit und Wärme. Die Sammlung versteht sich daher nicht als Dokument des Endes, sondern als Archiv von Nähe, Leben und fortdauernder Erinnerung.///This work brings together photographs of portraits found on gravestones and examines them as expressions of lived remembrance culture. Photographs function as carriers of memory: they preserve faces, conserve biographies, and create an immediate emotional connection to the past. Within mourning and burial culture, they become visual anchor points that evoke closeness and keep the memory of the deceased visible in public space.Gravestone photography is more than a simple representation. It reflects the attempt to preserve personality, identity, and a life once lived beyond death. In many cultures, these images are deliberately chosen and depict people in moments of joy, activity, or familiarity. They mirror the human desire for continuity, permanence, and belonging.A central aspect of this work is the question of how these images are selected. Who decides on the final portrait—the surviving relatives or the deceased themselves? What ideas of memory, self-image, and relationship become visible through this decision? Through the systematic photographing and archiving of these portraits, a collection emerges that places these individual choices side by side, making them comparable.The project is conceived as an ongoing photographic collection. The portraits are documented outside their original context, preserved, and transferred into a new framework. Contrary to the often sombre perception of cemeteries, many of these images reveal a surprising vitality and warmth. The collection therefore understands itself not as a document of endings, but as an archive of closeness, life, and enduring remembrance.