Micheldorf Micheldorf Micheldorf Micheldorf

 Elias Holzknecht
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Und es ist immer falsch,
die Erscheinungen in einem Land
mit dem Charakter seiner Bewohner:innen
zu erklären.


And it is always wrong
to explain the occurrences in a country
with the character of its inhabitants.

Das Alphabet hat keine Zahlen.
Jeder Mensch hat einen Vater
und ein Begräbnis.



The alphabet contains no numbers.
Everyone has a father
and a funeral.

Bushaltestelle
Baum
Brücke
Bäurin
Pilz
Baustelle


bus stop
tree
bridge
farmer
mushroom
construction site

Micheldorf hat 5.905, 998, 144 und 160
Einwohner:innen gleichzeitig.


Micheldorf has 5,905, 998, 144 and 160
residents at the same time.

Der Inhalt beruht auf eigener Anschauung des
Herausgebers und seiner Mitarbeiter:innen,
sowie auf sorgfältig eingezogenen Erkundungen
unter Berücksichtigung der einschlägigen Literatur.
Buchstäbliche Genauigkeit wird niemand von
einem Buche, das über zahlreiche, stetem
Wechsel unterworfene Dinge Auskunft geben
muss, verlangen.


The content is based on the editor’s and his
team’s own observations, as well as on carefully
collected research that took into account the
corresponding literature.
No one will demand absolute accuracy from
a book that has to provide information about
numerous things which are subject to constant
change.

Das Vertraute wird nicht unbedingt verstanden.

The familiar is not necessarily understood.

Der Inhalt beruht auf eigener Anschauung des
Herausgebers und seiner Mitarbeiter:innen,
sowie auf sorgfältig eingezogenen Erkundungen
unter Berücksichtigung der einschlägigen Literatur.

Buchstäbliche Genauigkeit wird niemand von
einem Buche, das über zahlreiche, stetem
Wechsel unterworfene Dinge Auskunft geben
muss, verlangen.











The content is based on the editor’s and his
team’s own observations, as well as on carefully
collected research that took into account the
corresponding literature.
No one will demand absolute accuracy from
a book that has to provide information about
numerous things which are subject to constant
change.

Von künstlichen Blumen,
König David und der Côte d’Azur
erzählte die Dame,
von bösen und schlechten Menschen.


About artificial flowers,
King David and the Côte d’Azur
the lady spoke,
about evil and bad people.

Info X

MICHELDORF MICHELDORF MICHELDORF MICHELDORF



I wanted to explore the country I grew up in. A chance journey brought me to Micheldorf in Upper Austria, where I began photographing village life. I was drawn to the beauty of the everyday in a community of nearly 6,000 people, for whom Micheldorf is the centre of their lives.

As I became more familiar with the place, I became increasingly aware of the limits of trying to describe a social space through a single photographic narrative. There were different stories, perspectives and ways of approaching the same place. Even its name pointed to multiplicity: three other places in Austria are called Micheldorf. The project gradually expanded beyond one location.

For the book, I was interested in constructing a sense of place and identity through selection and sequencing of photographs and text fragments.

I developed three versions of the book. Each contains exactly the same material, arranged in an entirely different sequence. Working through these sequences was a way of exploring several possible narratives without adding or removing anything.
The versions are distributed at random and marked 1/4, 2/4 and 3/4. A fourth version was never made.

Book available at: The Eriskay Connection



EXHIBITIONS
2025 / Sensen Museum Micheldorf / solo / Micheldorf in OÖ, AUT
2024 / Les Rencontres de la Photographie / group / Arles, FR
2023 / Goethe Exil / group / Hannover, DE
2021 / Graduation Show, BA Photography, KASK / Ghent, BE



AWARDS
2025 / Nomination, PHotoESPAÑA Best Photography Book of the Year
2024 / Nomination, German Photobook Award
2023 / Nomination, C/O Berlin Talent Award



TEXT
2025 / tagebuch.at
2025 / faz.net