“Zwischenraum,” from the German, means “the space between two objects.” But that literal definition misses the nuance and complexity that imbues the word with a deeper significance: That “space between” can be filled with tension, confusion, longing, disdain, or many other metaphysical states, and it is also physically undefined, meaning it can be a great distance or a minuscule gap, which could either be filled to overflowing or entirely devoid.
The distance between us, and the landscape we’ve shaped to support our society, is a remarkable field that can only be felt when we view those landscapes, as Heinser has, from above and from a great distance, side-by-side with how we view ourselves as human beings. The landscapes he captures – in which we’ve consciously and purposefully shaped the environment – comes off as hardened and rigid on the surface, but upon closer examination reveals a Potemkin bulwark that is actually quite porous and susceptible to the inexorable forces of nature. Conversely, Heinser’s portraits express, on their face, the emotions and passions of human beings – yet we all know that beneath the surface of every photo lie a complicated mosaic of experience and challenges that are not at all readily apparent to either the casual viewer, or even the probing lens of the portrait photographer.
The landscapes, made over the course of many years by Heinser, shot from helicopters using a high-resolution camera, are studies in abstraction, meticulously composed by the artist but with random gestures provided by nature. Heinser’s portraits, on the other hand, are often captured spontaneously or in a moment when the subject has momentarily dropped their guard. Are these subjects thinking of their relationship with the salt ponds, burn scars, and airport tarmacs pictured by Heinser? They most certainly are not, and, just as the landscapes are oblivious to the human beings who are temporarily shaping them. Therein lies the “Zwischenraum:” Two entities existing side-by-side, interacting in intimate or detached ways, with only occasional intersections, collisions really, of their interests and intents.
