Poignant,
surprising and
otherworldly, this
new photography
project by Reiner
Riedler shows
medical machinery
in a fresh light
Words: Tom Ir ela nd
hotographer Reiner Riedler
became interested in medical
equipment after finding himself
in an intensive neonatal care
unit, where his critically ill
newborn son, Viktor, was being
cared for.
“I came from outside into a dark room, with all this
soft light and beeping,” says Riedler, who is based in
Vienna. “It was such a strong feeling of safety – I
trusted the machines.”
Six months later he started to photograph
machines t hat a re used to save huma n lives, initially
spending time in operating theatres. He soon decided
he was uncomfortable with trying to photograph
unconscious people and busy doctors.
Instead, he chose to photograph the technology
itself, beginning with common hospital equipment
such as dialysis machines. “Then I started to go to
museums and archives, and I became more
interested in those that tell a story, or those whose
shape is metaphorical somehow,” says Riedler.
THE
ART OF
SAVING
LIVES
MEDICINE
P