Markus Hawlik’s photographs show nothing out of the ordinary. A stately figure in a traditional costume uniform or a young fraternity member in color. In the middle of this ensemble, grouped as a triptych, hangs a picture of a flagpole; next to the photograph of a shepherd dog in front of an inn at Königssee is a picture of a man staring emptily in front of a wooden shed; in the deserted room of a clubhouse there are rifles on the tables, in the next picture a hiking trail marker in a frayed red.
Markus Hawlik’s pictures are as much artistic as they are political. However, he is far removed from the usual patterns of reportage photography, his pictures are not clear, they do not want to offer any clear information about their content; they refuse to be interpreted quickly. The photographs are beautiful, carefully selected and composed. Their colorfulness reveals an extremely confident handling of the means and possibilities of photography.
Hawlik’s work could be described as constructive speculation. It is not about denouncing and demarcating certain social phenomena as (neo)fascist, but about posing the question of which emotional patterns could underlie totalitarian attitudes. The apparent harmlessness of his images can change in an instant.
from: Rainer Iglar, FOTOHOF Info, issue 4/1988