WOLFGANG SIEVERS
1913 - 2007
Wolfgang
Sievers was born in Germany and was greatly influenced by his writer-mother
and his father, an arts professor and government
official involved with the arts.
Sievers first studied archaeology
and learnt photography originally to illustrate his father’s
books. He was unable to continue his studies due to Nazi political
oppression, and tried to earn a living as a freelance photographer
in Portugal. Sievers later returned to Germany to study at the
Contempora College of Applied Arts in Berlin. He subsequently taught
photography
at this college.
In
1938 Sievers left Germany to escape war service and came to Australia
via England. After his arrival Sievers enlisted
for war
service.
As early as 1939 some of Sievers’ industrial photographs
were being published in Australia. He set up a new studio specialising
in this field in Melbourne in 1945 and held a joint exhibition
of
photography for fashion, business and industry in 1953 with Helmut
Newton.
In
1959 he illustrated The Fabulous Hill. From the 1960s Sievers specialised
in industrial work and continues to work
as a top professional in the field from his home studio in
Sandringham, Victoria.
Sievers’ work before and after his arrival in
Australia shows the influence of the New Objectivity which was
developed in German
photography from 1927-33. The forms of the machine age are clearly
articulated but with workers shown as dignified craftsmen.
above
text based on Gaël Newton's Silver & Grey
Angus and Roberston, Australia 1980