5 questions for – Nico Schaerer

In short, what is nuvu?
In one sentence: nuvu is an online gallery for selected, independent contemporary photography. But there is more behind it, a philosophy. nuvu embodies adventure and stories. Experienced on journeys, preserved for sharing. nuvu stands for Nouvelle Vue – we want to see the world from a new perspective.

What makes nuvu?
With nuvu we will implement what gastronomes in their area call slow food. Let’s call it Slow Photography. The focus is on the authenticity and independence of the images. The production of such pictorial worlds is time-consuming. Difficult to realize in a purely commercial environment, nuvu implements ideas that lead to works that are not uniform and therefore cannot be copied.

You have been working successfully as a photographer for several years – why did you start nuvu now?
There were two reasons for implementing a project such as nuvu. On the one hand, the time seems ripe for me to build something that offers us and others sustainable added value. nuvu hits a nerve of time: In a globalized, uniformed world, we want more authenticity again. To buy pictures off the peg is not much fun.
On the other hand, I share the same passions with travel journalist Martin Hoch. We decided to go the way together, combine our strengths and use them for nuvu. We will be on the road worldwide for reportages and nuvu image productions – be it in Rio de Janeiro, on La Réunion or in the Swiss Alps.

Nico Schaerer travelled halfway around the world in a self-converted bus after his studies at the renowned “Academy of Art and Design St. Joost” in Breda/NL. Further journeys followed, which led him with his motorcycle into the far north, in addition to the whole of South America. Guided by his impressions, emotions, nature and cultures, his characteristic visual language developed, which earned him many awards and commissions. Despite his success as a freelance photographer for renowned companies, he would like to return to his photographic roots with nuvu.

Do you have a dream destination you would like to visit for nuvu?
I have been dealing with the north, ice and winter landscapes for some time. Greenland, Spitzbergen or Antarctica are therefore desirable destinations. At the same time a country like Japan fascinates me – it combines untouched landscapes and a high-tech world. From the perspective I would like to deal even more intensively with aerial photography.

What is your favourite picture at the moment?
I like my latest series “Reallusion”, which was created in collaboration with the 3D artist Silvan Zuppiger. We integrated artificial forms into landscapes. I grew up with analogue photography myself. At that time a picture was real. These boundaries have shifted. “Reallusion” asks us to think about where manipulation begins.