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Michael Eckart
BIOGRAPHY
My life has been tapestry, made of colorful and fine threads. Every day a new weft, running through the warp.
And I spin on, stitch by stitch, year after year. Until I see what emerged in the end: A picture of what was. Sometimes the pattern seems clear, then again confused and heavy. But even the dark colors here I weave with love. And I spin on, stitch by stitch, year after year. Until I see what emerged in the end: A picture of what was. The joys, the tears, the nights, the days – all interwoven, not a thread lost. And when I have completed my work one morning, I lie down in it and fall asleep.
(To describe my life, I have borrowed the title of Carole King's 1971 song, staying true to the imagery it evokes.)
READ THE INTERVIEW
What brought you back to photography after years in design?
Quite simply, photography, especially digital photography with today’s advanced software, is just another way for me to express my creativity. It all began with a modest camera my son gave me about eight years ago. It was his old one; he had upgraded to a newer model.
With digital photography, file quality matters, but it is not everything when it comes to a good photo. I recently revisited some of my early shots and, while they were decent, software can enhance their quality. Of course, there is no denying that files from a Leica or Hasselblad produce far superior results. I would love to own one, but I do not need one, especially as I mostly shoot street photography. I have even had some success with smartphone photos.
How has traveling shaped your view of the world?
I have been travelling for quite some time. I visited Hong Kong once when it was still a British crown colony, and I have not been back since. A lot has changed there, but as a tourist, I would not necessarily notice those shifts during a short visit.The world is a planet whose greatest enemy is humanity itself. Greed and fear dictate nearly everything we do, and the consequences are visible everywhere. The result is that a few have far too much, while far too many have far too little. I fear this will not change, and travelling has only reinforced that belief. People who never leave their hometown, except for beach or ski holidays, often see it as the centre of the universe. If you visit Tokyo or Singapore, for example, smaller cities like Frankfurt feel stuck in the 1980s, not in a nostalgic or positive way. Singapore in particular is light years ahead of us in terms of environmental progress.
Is there a particular place that inspires you the most?
Let me put it this way: there are places that do not inspire me and never have. Unfortunately, Germany is one of them, and the reason is the people. Whenever I take out a camera to photograph individuals or an event, I am quickly met with questions: why? what is the purpose?
People often feel threatened. Sometimes they even call the police, convinced something is wrong. These days, taking photos with a smartphone is more socially acceptable because everyone has one, so the perceived threat is lower. Before I give the wrong impression: I am German, and I stand by that. I am perfectly happy in Frankfurt and content with my life wherever I am. That said, cities like Kyoto or Venice inspire me far more. But honestly, who would not feel the same?
Michael Eckart has spent significant time in Japan, Bali, and other parts of Asia, but Venice now feels like home.
From a young age, he aspired to be a photographer or designer, always drawn to creativity. However, these passions did not take center stage in his career until much later.
In the 1960s, he began designing window displays and creating objects for visual merchandising. During this time, MoMA requested some of his designs for an exhibition on contemporary design in New York.
By the late 1980s, the scale of his creations changed as he transitioned into jewelry design, working with materials such as buffalo horn, bone, and especially sterling silver. From 2004 to 2006, he exhibited his jewelry in Paris, where he was awarded the Étoiles de Mode for Best Design three consecutive times.
His jewelry gained widespread recognition, with features in prestigious publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and others.
In 2016, his son gifted him an old camera, reigniting his passion for photography.
In 2024, he entered his first photography competition and achieved success.
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