markus leiste -- biography
1961 Born in Germany.
1967 Gets his first camera (a “Kodak Instamatik”) from his parents as a birthday present.
1983-1988 Studies Art History and Literature in Aix-en-Provence, Freiburg, and at the Université
de Sorbonne in Paris. Graduates from the Sorbonne with a "Maîtrise" (M.A.).
1988 Begins a Ph.D. program in Literature at the University of California, San Diego.
At the same time working as a Teaching Assistant at U.C.S.D. In the following years
extensive trips throughout the southwestern U.S. as well as to New York and to Europe.
1989 Starts to focus his attention on Polaroid film. Experiments with different techniques and
materials (Polaroid image transfer etc.).
1990-1991 Lives in Hong Kong. Teaches at the local Goethe Institut (German Cultural Institute).
1991 Begins to work professionally as a photographer while being enrolled at the university.
Affiliated with several U.S. and German photo stock agencies. Creates his own mixed-
media-works (experimenting with Polaroid photography as well as reworking photo prints
with different media and color materials).
1992 Travels to London, Berlin, Paris, and the Provence.
1993 Again living and working in Hong Kong. Travels to the People’s Republic of China.
1994 Graduates from the University of California with a Ph.D. degree in Literature. Since then
working as a fine art photographer, and as a writer for stage and screen.
1995 Moves his home from California to Berlin, Germany.
1996 Production Assistant for the movie "Combat de Fauves" (starring Ute Lemper and
Richard Bohringer) in Berlin.
1997 Travels to Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China.
1997-2004 Sets up residence in California again. Travels back and forth between the U.S. and Europe.
Teaches frequently at the University of California, San Diego.
2004 Returns to Europe. Since then, mostly living and working in Berlin, Germany.
2006 Travels to Hong Kong for two months. Creates the photo series
"colorlightspeed/hongkong” during that stay.
relevant artistic achievements
photography:
1994-2007 Solo and group shows in the U.S. and Germany.
writing:
1995-2007 Completion of two theatre plays, two English language screen plays, one novel,
as well as a dozen film and TV treatments.