Early Work

 “If anything can be discerned in his early photography in particular, it is a penchant for cinematic strategies, for montage techniques, […] a passion for tempo and movement, articulated through blurring, and a [deliberate] lack of sharpness, a clearly forward-moving aesthetic.” 

From the very beginning, René Groebli embraced a rather innovative approach to photography; He was always drawn to motion, dynamic composition and the coincidental – which was completely at odds with the cool, neutral style of New Objectivity then taught in art schools. Groebli, however, was not afraid to break new photographic ground in order to photographically render his very own vision:

“When I was 18, I began experimenting with my father’s Rolleiflex. Thus began my passion for photography. During my time at the School of Applied Arts, I was excited by the possibilities of capturing motion sequences in static single images. The results, which fascinated me, met with fierce rejection by my teachers.” 

Between the schools of Hans Finsler's cool formalism and Arnold Kübler's focus on post-war reportage that sought to be as objective as possible, Groebli learned and eventually mastered both, but it did not satisfy him. He was seeking not only information but emotion, not just precision but personal voice. Determined to visualize his perception, he wouldn’t shy away from breaking with convention to explore new photographic strategies. Groebli was also a pioneer in the expressive use of color, both technically and aesthetically, at a time when most still worked in black and white.