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René Schädler
I am 61 years old, married, the father of two grown-up children and already the grandfather of a five-year-old grandson.
Michéla Griffith
In 2012 I paused by my local river and everything changed. I’ve moved away from what many expect photographs to be: my images deconstruct the literal and reimagine the subjective, reflecting the curiosity that water has inspired in my practice. Water has been my conduit: it has sharpened my vision, given me permission to experiment and continues to introduce me to new ways of seeing.
In this interview, René Schädler talks to us about the inspirations and experiences that have shaped his photography, from a fascination with art to the landscapes of Switzerland and beyond. Through solitary travel and an increasingly minimalist approach, he aims to reflect the emotional resonance of large scale, peaceful spaces in his carefully composed images.
Would you like to start by telling readers a little about yourself – where you grew up, what your early interests were, and what you went on to do?
I grew up in Switzerland, more precisely in central Switzerland, in the city of Zug, where I still live today. My childhood was characterised by a lot of freedom and proximity to nature. Growing up near the lake, and the countless hours I spent in the nearby mountains and in the forest, awakened my thirst for discovery and my imagination at an early age. During my teenage years, I developed an increasing interest in creative forms of expression, be it drawing, painting or photography. I suspect that this freedom and the many experiences I had were the basis for my preference to be creatively active.
At the same time, sport played an important role in my life. With the ice hockey stadium just around the corner, I developed an enthusiasm for this team sport at an early age. This passion led to a career of several years as a professional player at the local ice hockey club. Back then, it was still common to combine professional sport with a business career. In my case, this path led me from graphic design to architectural illustration to interior design and later to marketing, where I still work today.