is that all there is? is that all there is

solo show
vianca reinig
07.03.2024 - 24.03.2024
opening 07.03.2024, 6pm - 9pm
3 rue bonaparte
75006 paris

galerie charraudeau is pleased to present is that all there is? is that all there is, a solo exhibition by paris-based multidisciplinary artist vianca reinig. through photography, sculpture, and installation, the exhibition explores perception, social conventions, and the invisible structures that shape the way we view the world and ourselves.

are we all actors in a play whose script has already been written by fate? the series is that all there is? is that all there is is a tribute to the invisible threads that guide our perception and weave our coexistence. at its core lies perspective — how it is shaped through the lens of photography and the staged settings of social conventions that direct our view of the world. these perspectives paint a picture that often says more about collective scripts than about our own desires. photography here opens a stage on which the construction of our reality is questioned — a reality shaped by norms and expectations. are we following a societal pattern, or is our action merely a role we have learned to perform? do social guidelines shape the way we engage with the world and with one another, determining how we perceive art, architecture, and ourselves?

the rhombus stands at the centre of the exhibition and appears in various forms. through shifts in colour and perspective, the work questions whether this simple shape — defined by four equal-length parallel sides and diagonals intersecting at right angles — is truly as immutable as it seems. the rhombus appears not only in art, but also within the so-called “game of life”, represented through the playing cards fate deals us arbitrarily. the sculptures, made from painted cardboard, reveal the fragility of the systems in which we move. walls can be broken through, forms can be changed. the exhibition asks whether we conform or whether we risk stepping outside the frame.

is that all there is? is that all there is encourages the adoption of new perspectives, the breaking of conventions, and ultimately the formation of one’s own image. at its centre lies the continuous search for knowledge, often manifested in the architectural forms that surround us and with which we interact. the viewer is invited to look deeper — beyond the fleeting and superficial — in order to construct their own complete picture. social scripts shape the way we interact with the world and ourselves. but what happens if we tear up those scripts and choose to see the world through a different lens?

text by marie louise schlutius

new perspectives was a group exhibition and artist event presented in october 2023 by canvas club in collaboration with four seasons hotel limassol, cyprus, and supported by porsche. the exhibition brought together a selection of contemporary artists and showcased works within a setting that combined art, design, hospitality, and innovation.

vianca reinig presented works from the series in many ways, i prefer my own company. as part of the collaboration, the outlines of one of her artworks were adapted onto a porsche, extending the visual language of the work beyond the photographic image and into the surrounding environment of the event.

– view canvas club profile –

form was presented in october 2023 at kunst im quartier in hamburg. bringing together the works of kyle egret and vianca reinig, the interdisciplinary exhibition explored the concept of form through photography, works on paper, sculpture, and graphic elements. visitors were invited to engage with the richness and diversity of form through a multidisciplinary perspective.

at the centre of the exhibition lies a series of questions: what exactly is hidden behind the abstract notion of “form”? how broad is the spectrum of possible interpretations? kyle egret and vianca reinig approach these questions through their own distinct visual languages, creating a dialogue between their practices.

the combination of large-scale, vibrant colour photographs and graphic black-and-white works on paper creates a dynamic visual tension throughout the exhibition. visitors are encouraged to explore the world of form from a wide range of perspectives and interpretations.

form is an exhibition that invites viewers to discover the complexity, beauty, and possibilities of form within contemporary visual art.

– works by kyle egret –

– exhibition graphics by valerie schaefers –

cluster photography 2022 was an international contemporary photography fair held at oxo tower wharf in london, bringing together more than 70 photographers from around the world. centred around the theme of identity, the exhibition explored the diverse ways photography shapes personal and collective narratives.

or the exhibition, vianca reinig presented works from the series helter skelter. the series investigates the relationship between colour, architecture, and perception through carefully constructed photographic compositions. geometric forms, fragmented spaces, and vibrant colour fields disrupt the familiarity of the built environment, transforming everyday architectural elements into abstract visual experiences.

through shifts in perspective and composition, helter skelter questions how images influence the way we navigate and interpret space. the works move between documentation and construction, inviting viewers to reconsider the boundaries between photography, abstraction, and reality.

– view cluster profile –

the launch of lewis and harris took place in 2021 at kozs galerie in hamburg, celebrating the release of the collaborative photobook by vianca reinig and philipp schmidt, published by kerber verlag. the event brought together visitors, collectors, artists, and supporters to mark the publication of the book and to present the photographic project developed across the outer hebrides.

lewis and harris explores the distinctive landscape and built environment of the scottish islands through a series of photographs focusing on architecture, colour, repetition, and place. documenting both the landscape and the everyday structures shaped by its inhabitants, the publication investigates the relationship between observation, memory, and the constructed environment.

the book was previously shortlisted for die schönsten deutschen bücher 2020.

in november 2019, lewis and harris was presented at paris photo at the kerber verlag booth. the publication later went on to be shortlisted for die schönsten deutschen bücher 2020, recognising its contribution to contemporary photobook design and production.

the presentation marked an important milestone for the project, introducing the publication to an international audience of collectors, curators, publishers, and photography enthusiasts. through its exploration of the landscapes and architecture of the outer hebrides, lewis and harris became part of a broader dialogue surrounding contemporary photobook practice and documentary photography.

hybridised hebrides was presented in january 2019 at schaltzentrale in hamburg. the project focuses on the hebridean islands, located off the northwest coast of scotland in the atlantic, and explores the relationship between landscape, identity, tradition, and the future of a younger generation growing up in remote island communities.

divided into the outer and inner hebrides, the islands form an archipelago inhabited by more sheep than humans. while scotland’s population has grown in general, the number of residents on the hebrides has slowly declined over the past decade. younger generations often move to cities such as glasgow or edinburgh in search of higher education, cultural exchange, and new possibilities.

the project asks how young people on the hebrides deal with these conditions: growing up within ancient cultural traditions, where gaelic remains part of daily life and sunday is still treated as sacred. how do they form their own identities within inherited structures? where do they locate their hopes, dreams, and futures — in the city, on the island, or in a return to their roots?

the hebrides carry a long and visible history. road signs appear first in gaelic and then in english, while architectural remains such as duns and brochs bear witness to early human presence on the islands. these circular stone structures, some dating back to the first century bc, now often exist only as fragments, traces of former forms embedded in the landscape.

based on the question of how closely young people on the hebrides are connected to their old and proud heritage, and where their hopes and plans for the future lie, philipp schmidt and vianca reinig travelled through the hebrides in september and october. philipp schmidt focused on portraits, while vianca reinig worked with black-and-white photographs.

– works by philipp schmidt –

soulbase magazine interview with vianca reinig, exploring photography, abstraction, architecture, travel, and art as a form of escapism.

- view publication -

lewis and harris is a collaborative photobook by vianca reinig and philipp schmidt, published by kerber verlag.

lewis and harris make up the largest part of the outer hebrides, an archipelago located approximately 60 kilometres northwest of the scottish mainland. the atlantic ocean, cold and ever-present, reveals itself in countless shades of blue, shifting from pale turquoise to deep royal blue before dissolving into grey beneath the changing weather. white foam wraps itself around the rugged coastline while the relentless wind moves across the landscape like a constant veil.

vegetation is sparse. peat, moorland and exposed dark rock dominate the terrain, interrupted only occasionally by an unexpected palm tree standing in a front garden. across the islands, small villages and scattered settlements sit within this vast landscape. their architecture is functional rather than ornamental, characterised by weatherproof concrete in muted tones of grey and sand. from time to time, a bright yellow or red roof emerges from the moss-coloured surroundings.

in lewis and harris, photographer duo vianca reinig and philipp schmidt focus on the distinctive landscape and built environment of the outer hebrides. through a series of photographs, the publication explores the relationship between the islands' raw natural forms and the everyday structures shaped by those who inhabit them. landscape images reveal the ancient beauty of the terrain, while architectural photographs concentrate on the functional elements that quietly define life within these remote surroundings.

the publication was shortlisted for die schönsten deutschen bücher 2020, recognising outstanding book design and production.

published by kerber verlag.

– works by philipp schmidt –

– graphic design by felix link –

– view publication –