One of the most beautiful features of Lincoln Parish is the diversity, brought here by our two incredible universities. It’s a rare treat to see so much talent and cultural richness in such a small footprint and it’s particularly heartwarming when our friends from all over the world decide to become our neighbors indefinitely.
Markus Wobisch first made Ruston his home 17 years ago. Born and raised in Düsseldorf, Germany,
Wobisch received his Masters and Doctorate degrees in Physics at Aachen University. His work as a particle physicist later brought him to the U.S., first to Fermilab and then to Louisiana Tech University, where he now teaches physics and performs research at the Large Hadron Collider.
Since the age of 15, Wobisch and his brother have shared a passion for photography. They explored 35mm film photography with SLR and Lomo cameras, as well as darkroom techniques for black and white photography. Wobisch says that his experience and love for monochromatic images are the reason he continues to pursue black and white photography in the digital age. He says that black and white photography allows him to extract basic shapes, accompanied by their shadows and reflections, without the distraction of color.
At age 58, Wobisch says that his favorite tools for creating his art are vintage German Manual-Focus lenses. The old lenses he uses, some from the late 1940s, are representative of a vastly different era. “The history behind these artifacts is very inspirational to me,” says Wobisch.
Wobisch also finds inspiration in extremes. Extreme details, perspectives and light all play an important role in Wobisch’ creation. “I explore and celebrate seemingly trivial aspects of everyday life by spotting not-so-obvious details in unusual points of view,” explains Wobisch. He also likes to focus on simple shapes and symmetries alongside the extremes mentioned above.
When asked why he is passionate about art, Wobisch’s response was this, “I’ll let you know when I find out…all I can say is that I feel a driving force that, wherever I go, keeps me looking at the world, noticing details and separating them from their surroundings; rearranging them and composing images in my mind.”
Wobisch says that he is continuously impressed by Vivian Maier and Steve McCurry and how they capture people and aspects of human life. He also mentions that another driving force for his work is the music of the Velvet Underground, which, to him, is black and white photography for the ears.
Wobisch claims that he doesn’t intend to convey any specific messages in his work. He feels that what makes art to inherently valuable is its ability to inspire vastly different people in vastly different ways. He says that if his work is able to inspire someone to engage in their own artistic pursuits he will be greatly pleased.
For anyone considering their own creative journey, Wobisch says, “Don’t only think in terms of pieces, think in terms of projects.” He says that his own process is to create manageable time slots to work in and get started. From there, he says it’s simple. Just keep going. Wobisch also says that it is important to create some distance between yourself and your work. He believes distance is important to properly evaluate one’s own works and to continue progress.
Wobisch adds, “I feel lucky to live in Ruston and I am very thankful for NCLAC and my
friends in the arts community.”
Wobisch was the 2024 North Central Louisiana Artist of the Year. You can find him and his works on Facebook at markuswobischphotography, Instagram at markuswobisch, as well as his website at markuswobisch.com.
