"I photograph not what I see, but what I feel."

Marlene Neumann's photographic work has a classic feel which is reminiscent of the American Master photographers of the 1940's like Weston, Strand and Stieglitz.  Marlene's work seems to reflect the words of Alfred Stieglitz:  "My photographs are equivalents of my most profound life experience, my basic philosophy of life".

Some call her the new "Old master".  Marlene's photographs are an intimate reflection of her world and her relationship to that world.  Each photograph is a once-off image - totally unique - even works from the same edition are original due to the hands-on technique.

Her working method is all based on monochrome photography, but, using chemicals specially formulated by herself over a number of years, she achieves the subtleties of colour and texture which are trademarks of her work.  Many people are intrigued by the technique and ask how it was done, to which she invariably replies: "Don't look at the technique, look beyond it, look at what the image says to you".

Marlene Neumann is based in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.  She lectured in the Department of Art and Design at a tertiary institution in East London, where she was head of department for 19 years.  She has a Masters degree, specialising in photography, from the Port Elizabeth Technikon.

Marlene's work has been featured in articles in a number of national publications.  Her work has been exhibited widely, both in South Africa and internationally and her photographs are in collections across the world.

"The images offer a fresh and spiritual look at ordinary objects - The intimacy of the work is the result of the aptly named  "Neumann technique"
- AGFA (SA)

"Using photographs as her canvas and chemicals as her tools, modern day alchemist Neumann works her own kind of magic"
- Weekend Post

"Each image is something like, well, a black-and-white photograph. Only it's not that either. It's also kind of like a painting. Only it's not that either. It's well, kind of like both, together. And neither."
- Getaway magazine