"Presenting ‘Thought Processes’ -- Stefanie Timmerman to present photography at Reach Arts"

For German-born photographer and Swampscott resident Dr. Stefanie Timmermann, photography is a way to dissect and dramatize the patterns of nature and challenge traditional interactions with visual art. In her upcoming Reach Arts exhibit, “Thought Processes” she will be studying the concept and process of time through images, video, interactive pieces and a “time machine.”

“It starts with Primordial Soup and then goes through primitive tribes, Middle Ages ... how these things develop into modern society,” Timmermann said of her exhibit.

Her exhibit also examines how humans relate to time emotionally.

“On a physical level time is linear -- it moves at a certain pace,” Timmermann said. “For me, it’s not like this ... We’re constantly imagining going back in time or looking into the future -- I find this dichotomy very interesting.”

All of the components in “Thought Processes” work together as a whole, but the exhibit has many facets. For the non-interactive pieces, Timmermann will present photographs that were taken in long exposure, each one showing a unique passage of time. She will also present a triptych called “Raising a Human” featuring her 14-year-old daughter.

“I don’t necessarily see these images as something for the photo album to remember my daughter when I’m older,” Timmermann said. “She’s more of a model to express certain concepts ... It’s very nice to have a very willing model at your fingertips.”

The triptych shows her daughter in different stages of behavior, from meek to silly to princessy.

“The one in the middle is what I would call stereotypical Disney princess -- pink dress,” Timmerman said.

She explained a lot of girls are unwittingly pressured into valuing beauty over other virtues.

“You’re said to be pretty ... no one goes in and says, ‘You’re so fun and creative, you’re so wild,’ and says this as positive,” Timmermann said. “No matter what she does, she will always be loved and appreciated for all of her inventiveness -- not just for being pretty.”

Photos of her daughter over the past 14 years will be featured in the time machine, a small tent-like structure that must be experienced alone.

“It’s very intimate, very womb-like,” Timmermann said.

There will also be interactive pieces, such as a photo that viewers can draw on and an undeveloped cyanotype kept in a covered box. The image degrades as it is exposed to light, but that is the only way it can be viewed.

“It is very interesting how people react to this,” Timmermann said. “Do they feel they don’t want to destroy it, so they’d rather not look?”

A collaborative visual piece with a performing artist with be celebrated with a special performance by the artist at the end of the reception. The piece will be installed on the floor and viewers will be able to walk on it.

“You walk on it, you destroy it, but on the other hand you’re also about to go in close and see some of the small images in the center,” Timmermann said.

She explained her exhibit pushes the functional boundaries of photography beyond decoration.

“We always see photography as something you put on the wall and shield with glass -- it’s like a vault,” Timmermann said. “What’s if it’s something that you use? By using it, you risk breaking it or destroying it, but you get a more visceral enjoyment out of it. This is something I’m trying to approach.”

“Thought Processes” will be on view from Dec. 8-17 at Reach Arts, 89 Burrill St., Swampscott. There will be an opening reception from 7-9 p.m., Dec. 8, Friday and a session to meet the artist 7-9 p.m. Dec. 13, Wednesday. The gallery is open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn more at www.reacharts.org.

About the Artist

Dr. Stefanie Timmermann was born in Germany. She started doing black and white photography in her father’s basement darkroom at age 19.

In 2001, she got her first digital camera and Adobe Photoshop became her new darkroom. Five years later she took a job working at a photography website called iStock and pushed her editing skills even further, learning how to create commercial images using elements of lighting and design.

These days, Timmermann enjoys “dirtying up” her own photography and using visuals to tell a story.

She has lived in Cologne, Boston, Paris and currently resides in Swampscott. She is a member of the Greater Lynn Photographic Association. In addition to photography, she also had a career in cancer research.