Miniature Scenes With A Darkly Satirical Twist by Frank Kunert

German photographer Frank Kunert builds miniature scenes that at first glance appear like mundane depictions of everyday domestic and urban settings. However after glancing at the photographs longer, one is able to dissect the strange anomalies found in his playgrounds, kitchens, and parks, noticing that his half pipe has the markings of a tennis court and his children’s slide leads straight onto a busy highway.

“On the surface, these photographs confront us with all of the hollow words, catchphrases and banalities we encounter in our daily lives,” says Dr. Christine Donat, who provided the text for Kunert’s online portfolio. “The stereotypical and senseless aspects of human communication cannot be unveiled more convincingly than in their literal conversion into a visual medium.”

The works are a part of Kunert’s series Photographs of Small Worlds, handcrafted models that play with the audience’s perception through the use of darkly satirical twists. Each miniature set is created over the course of several weeks to months, and are not captured until they can perfectly convey the scene without digital assistance.

Kunert’s upcoming solo exhibition at the Museum Boppard from September 10 to January 28, 2018 shares the same name as his most recent photo book, Wunderland.