Tillmann Ohm

Stereotypes

Digital Superimpositions
2012

The series of stereotypes consists of various digital superimpositions. Every digital work is the result of 20 to 40 pictures algorithmically merged into a single image.

Similar to Sir Francis Galton’s and technique of Composite Portraiture1 from the 1880s, the digital fusion of images is an experimental approach to examine stereotypical features of the selected input. By repeating similarities of each picture in stack, individual details are getting lost when merged together. The results are physiognomic studies on the defined groups of people that unveil their collective face.

Galton’s approach of trying to identify criminals and the sick with his biased study was highly problematic and later proved to be scientifically incorrect. For ethical reasons, and especially in view of the racist physiognomic studies of the National Socialists in Hitler’s Germany, this technique should be taken with great caution. To avoid the repetition of stereotypical gliches, only some parts of the series are shown.

25 photographs of famous rap musicians [1]
25 photographs of famous rap musicians [1]
22 photographs of female pop musicians [2]
22 photographs of female pop musicians [2]
23 photographs of famous reggae musicians [3]
23 photographs of famous reggae musicians [3]
21 photographs of famous jazz musicians [4]
21 photographs of famous jazz musicians [4]
22 photographs of famous rock musicians [5]
22 photographs of famous rock musicians [5]
42 fashion advertisement posters
42 fashion advertisement posters
20 photographs of discharged despots [6]
20 photographs of discharged despots [6]
Photographs of all G20 heads of governments (01/2012)
Photographs of all G20 heads of governments (01/2012)
Paintings and photographs of 44 US presidents (1789 – 2012)
Paintings and photographs of 44 US presidents (1789 – 2012)

[1] i.a. Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Jay Z, Busta Rhymes, P. Diddy

[2] i.a. Madonna, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, Shakira, Pink, Kylie Minouge, Cher

[3] i.a. Bob Marley, Lee Perry, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Alpha Blondy, Bunny Wailer

[4] i.a. Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Glenn Miller, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday

[5] i.a. Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Cocker, Lenny Kravitz, Freddie Mercury, Axl Rose

[6] i.a. Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Kim Jong-Il, Mao Zedong, Muhammar al-Gaddafi

  1. see https://galton.org/composite.htm ↩︎