Bauxite Colors 05

Bauxite ore is the world's primary source of aluminum. It is a characteristic reddish ore that naturally has a particularly high concentration of aluminum oxides and hydroxides. For this reason, bauxite is
particularly suitable for aluminum production - also against the background of the increasing aluminum demand worldwide, because bauxite enables
efficient production of the metal. In addition to the very high energy consumption and the escaping heat in the processing of bauxite for the production of aluminum, large areas of the landscape are used in the mining of bauxite, which must be recultivated.

The mining areas, which are usually several hectares in size, are controversial, but if you look at them from an aerial perspective,
especially it’s tailing ponds look like huge abstract oil paintings.

"See the world from a different perspective — an unusual one. The view from the air is fascinating. In my work, however, photography does not merely document our environment from this atypical perspective; it is much more a (creative) representation of conditions such as structures and forms in their uniqueness. Since nature is in a constant state of change, be it short or long term, each of my works captures a moment that will never happen again. Often the places shown in my works surround us directly, but due to our close proximity, they can hardly be perceived the same way. Whether it is nature or our human influence on it, the result is abstract, partly geometric, but also surreal worlds, which I want to make accessible to everyone."


Kevin Krautgartner is a German architectural and landscape photographer, best known for his aerial images of urban and large ground spaces highlighting the aesthetic value of colors, lines and geometric patterns in them. His oeuvre has been awarded at international contests, and featured in mainstream media.

Krautgartner currently lives and works in Wuppertal, Germany. He graduated from the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts with a degree in photography and graphic design. Digital photography is the basis for his work today. He uses helicopters and light planes to capture his objects -architectural interiors, urban skylines, remote landscapes- from different perspectives which he later uses to digitally select and frame aesthetically appealing views. His landscapes include icy mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, fjords and salt fields in many countries.

Kevin Krautgartner