Sitting on a tree stump swinging his legs, his arms folded, the small boy in striped bathing trunks gazes directly into the camera. Unsmiling, he watches. Drawn by his look, the viewer does not forget him so quickly. One wonders what the boy is thinking about.
The girl with long dark hair reclines in an armchair; on the arm-rest she has set up an armada of barbie dolls. She, too, is not smiling. She looks relaxed and at the same time captivated. The armchair is her realm; just for a short moment she allows the viewer to look at it. No more.

Gustav Eckhart, born 1945, presents black-and-white photos of children, taken from 1988 until now. His passion for photography was kindled by a sudden blow; his best friend's child died in an accident.Immediately afterwards, he began to photograph intensively, building up a photographic cosmos of people and moments which meant something to him. He took pictures on his travels, in jazz cellars and in nature - again and again, though, he took pictures of children.
Through his camera, something of the automony and mystery of their world is captured. This world is beautiful but not unscathed. Gustav Eckhart does not stage this world, he just documents it. His photos render the vivacity of children, their natural, unmeasurable force, and something children have especially, their immediate preoccupation with the moment. At the same time, his photos remain unobtrusive, preventing sentimentality coming into this beauty.

For the large part, the 'models' in these photos are children from friends and aquaintances. Over the years Gustav Eckhart followed their development as they grew up.

Bettine von Borries.
(transl. Morag Minner)