Cloning in the work of two artists

 

Martin Liebscher is a German artist, born in 1964. His photographic work, which is sublimated in the eloquent title "One for all", focuses on using himself as a multiple subject of his photographs.

 

Using the self-timer, Liebscher takes dozens to hundreds of photographs of himself in different positions and attitudes and a single environment. The individual photographs are not digitally manipulated, as instead the set of all the images which, when superimposed, produce the "One for all" effect. A good example of his style is represented by the image of a large theater full of hundreds of Liebscher-spectators.

Martin Liebscher, Ohne Titel 1, https://martinasbaek.com/artists/martin-liebscher/

It can be argued whether this style of representation has as its supporting structure a thought linked to the affirmation of one's identity in the world or whether it is a pure exercise of impressive graphic technique, but it is objective that the aesthetic and graphic result are impressive both for the numerousness of the Liebschers. -replicas than for the precision of the inlays.

I found similarities between Liebscher's work and that of Paul M. Smith. 

However, I believe that these analogies boil down to the use of cloning and the possibilities of subject fusion offered by digital technique, while the content seems slightly different to me. 

Smith's images, even if they are often populated with clones of himself, eventually refer to the theme of masculinity and question it, merging man and woman in highly sexualized representations. Digital manipulation is therefore used to question sex as such and provoke the viewer. It is curious how, in a period where these themes are divisive and where the classic division into males and females is put into total discussion, these images, created years ago, seen today are more evocative than provocative. 

Smith's works that come closest to Liebscher are those of "Artist Rifles" and "Make my night", but Smith focuses a lot on the story behind the single image (some images of "Artist Rifles" resemble the works of Jeff Wall), while Liebscher's images are more impressive and articulated, and lead the viewer to dwell on the many small stories that converge in a single image.