Explorer of the invisible
Martin Oeggerli aka Micronaut sees the world as scientist and artist: both perspectives are reflected in his pictures as he studies the shapes and sublime beauty of the earth’s smallest living creatures:
“I just love to explore hidden places and mysterious creatures. By blending my imagination with real insights, I aim to expand the terrain through extravagant unexpected things viewed up close.»
Sagami Bay Diatom Surface – I
Art gallery, Spain 2023
INTRODUCTION:
Micronaut has collected and explored microscopic landscapes of plants, cells, bacteria, or pollen grains from every corner of the earth. His work is based on scanning-electron-microscopy (SEM). Utilizing electrons instead of photons allows him to expand the limits of traditional photography by focusing on microscopic structures with up to 500.000x magnification.
The human Microbiome
Time-lapse sequence, 2015
To reconstruct colors -that cannot be detected with SEM technology- Micronaut spends days and nights with post-processing. Being a scientist as much as a photographer, he is allowing us unique insights of invisibly small forms of life, and highlights scientific phenomena in unique ways. But the purpose of his work goes beyond capturing images:
“I want to broaden people’s awareness that our planet is full of wonders. Invisibly small creatures are taking key roles in ecosystems and some are essential for us: without them we cannot survive. The time has come to know more and care more about it..»
Martin Oeggerli aka ‘Micronaut’
Karolinska Institutet (Lennart Nilsson Award ceremony), Sweden 2022
ABOUT
Micronaut puts on stage what you would otherwise miss an entire lifetime, because it’s too small. His work has been featured in BBC, GEO, Nature, Science, CELL, Vogue and National Geographic. Among numerous awards, he is the recipient of the Lennart Nilsson Award “in recognition of his outstanding contributions within the realm of scientific photography”. Micronaut has has been named ‘International Photographer of the Year’ (New York, 2011) and has been a photographer contributing to National Geographic since his first assignment back in 2009. The body of his work spans many feature articles and covers over the years, including the cover of the prestigious 125-year anniversary issue. He was an invited talker at TED and many other venues, and was responsible for the production of the world’s first IMAX 3D-stereo film sequence in color utilizing SEM technolgy, assigned by National Geographic for the documentary ‘Unseen World’. In addition, Micronaut is a member of ‹The Photo Society› and National Geographic’s ‹Photographer’s Advisory Board› which represents the ‹Who is Who› in Photojournalism and Special Photography.
Pollen’ article cover, left side
National Geographic Spain & Portugal, 2024
‘Microbes’ article introduction, right side
National Geographic USA, 2024
While Micronaut became known for his magazine articles and insights into scientific phenomena, his work goes beyond that, including intimate examinations of microscopic places that expose majestic, extraterrestrial, and weirdly beautiful structures.
Micronaut’s artworks are exhibited in galleries around the world and internationally represented in more than fifty corporate, private and public collections.
Wonderland Forest (Juglans sp.), 2023
Private collection
Limited edition prints are available upon request. Each piece will be signed and numbered. Pricing depends on edition, framing and format. For your inquiry please contact us under: info@micronaut.ch
- Classic edition series: medium format: 40×50 to 50x70cm, edition of 25, pricing starts at CHF 2’500.-
- Collector edition series: large format up to 180x135cm, edition of 5, pricing starts at CHF 7’500.-
Architecture of a Diatom / The Transformation of Elbphilharmonie
International Photo Festival Switzerland, 2023
Pollen Universe 2023
Private collection
The exhibition presented at the ESPID 2024 in Copenhagen highlights scientific phenomena and invisible aesthetics hidden in the scientific research area. All works have been hand-picked by the artist.
Microstructures – ONE
at BayKomm (BAYER) exhibition center, Leverkusen, Germany
Microstructures ONE
Exhibition by Micronaut GmbH / Martin Oeggerli.
20 – 25 May 2024
Congress Centre Copenhagen, Danmark,
ESPID 2024
Documentary video sequence:
The exhibition features exclusive film material providing insights into Martin’s high-tech process. The interview-based documentary was produced and realized by Charlotte Bonniot and it is part of her project ‘@a_objectif._ouvert’ that visits innovative photographers around the world to answer the question: who are today’s visual explorers?
Surreal Nature – Fly proboscis (2015)
Corporate art collection
Book:
If you are interested to buy the book Microstructures ONE or other products from our online shop at www.micronaut.ch feel free to contact us using the email: info@micronaut.ch