Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation acquires work by Marvel Harris

Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation—official partner of Foam Talent—has selected the work of #marvelharris (part of Foam Talent 2022) to add to their collection. Foam spoke with Anne-Marie Beckmann, Director of the #deutscheborsephotographyfoundation about the collection, the selection process of a new acquisition and how the foundation supports photographic talent.

Interview with Anne-Marie Beckmann

Can you explain what the Art Collection Deutsche Börse is?

The Art Collection Deutsche Börse is an international collection of contemporary photography that is currently comprised of around 2,300 artworks from more than 160 artists from 33 countries. Established in 1999 and dedicated to a variety of central themes of contemporary photography from the mid-20th century, it has seen continuous growth.

You recently added work by #marvelharris to your collection. What attracted you to this body of work?

We chose works from Marvel’s series Inner Journey this year, because his project not only deals with a topic that is highly relevant and sensitive, but also because his approach is deeply personal and very touching. For me Inner Journey is a beautiful photographic journey and a very important contribution to an increased awareness of the issues surrounding gender identity. 

How did you start collecting works from the Foam Talent programme?

When becoming a funding partner for Foam Talent five years ago, we committed ourselves to acquiring the works of at least one of the artists from each edition of the programme. This is beneficial for both the artists and for us, as we believe that the Foam Talent programme is an amazing ‘source’ for innovative, inspiring and upcoming artistic positions.

How do you select new work for your collection?

The collection is thematically open and follows an in-depth approach: so we always select a group of works rather than just one image. What all works have in common, is that they convey the artists’ exploration and contemplations of the 'conditio humana', the conditions of human existence and of people’s ways of adapting to their environment. Every time we acquire a new body of work, the aim is to add something new to the collection, such as a new perspective, visual approach or topic. At the same time, each artistic position should connect with the artworks that are already present in the collection, as the dialogue between those bodies is very important for us.

How does the work of #marvelharris relate to other works in your collection?

In dealing with portraiture, identity and intimacy, Marvel’s work connects with many artistic positions in the Art Collection like Zanele Muholi, Samuel Fosso, Diane Arbus, Joseph Szabo or even Thomas Ruff.

What does it mean to be included into a collection like that of Deutsche Börse (for an emerging artist)?  

Being included in our collection means that your artwork is in the company of the work of 160 other incredible artists. It means great visibility of the artworks as they are included in our presentations at the Deutsche Börse premises, in-house exhibitions, loans and exhibitions of the collection to internationally renowned institutions, but also on our website, where the complete collection is accessible. Furthermore, it means that we bring these works to a very broad audience. Besides being a funding partner of Foam Talent and collecting the talents’ works we support young artists locally and internationally through awards, scholarships and by giving them many platforms to present their work.