Vita

Born in Berlin in 1951, Jim Rakete began working as a photojournalist for daily newspapers, magazines and agencies while still at school, initially focusing on the music scene. Already at this point, he portrayed stars such as Jimi Hendrix, Ray Charles, Mick Jagger and David Bowie.




From 1977 – 1986, he managed the “Fabrik” [Factory] creative laboratory, not only producing the album covers of many musicians of the German New Wave, but also assuming the management of artists such as the Nina Hagen Band, Nena, Spliff, Die Ärzte and Interzone.

In 1986, however, his love of photography again gained the upper hand. Since then, he has portrayed many of the greats of German and international music and film, including Til Schweiger, Jürgen Vogel, Natalie Portman, Annett Louisan and Joe Jackson.


During the 1990s, he commuted between Hamburg and Los Angeles, photographing and filming music videos and commercials as a Director of Photography, before returning to Berlin in 2001. After receiving the opportunity there of combining his major interest in people and politics through the magazine “Cicero”, in recent years, he has increasingly photographed politicians, such as the German chancellor of the time, Gerhard Schröder, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Franz Müntefering and Otto Schily.

In addition to portraits of national and international stars of music, film and the arts, today he undertakes advertising commissions and photographs editorials for almost every magazine in the German market.

Exhibitions | Selection

2010	Blicke gen Norden, Patton Stiftung, Saarbrücken
2009	1/8 sec. - Vertraute Fremde, Ludwig Galerie Schloss Oberhausen
2009	Blicke gen Norden, Stadtgalerie Kiel
2009	Blicke gen Norden, Landesvertretung Hamburg, Berlin
2008	Augen/Blick/Porträts, Filmmuseum, Frankfurt
1999	Jim Rakete - Photographien, Suermondt Ludwig Museum, Aachen
1998	Jim Rakete - Photographien, Museum Sankt Ingbert
1997	Jim Rakete - Photographien, Galerie Barlach, Hamburg

Publications | Selection

2008	Jim Rakete - 1/8 sec., Schirmer/Mosel
2006	Kunststation Berlin, Knesebeck Verlag
2006	Berlin Art Now, Abrams
2006	Berlin Art Now, Thames & Hudson, GB
1999	Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin, Metz
1997	Jim Rakete - Photographien, Schirmer/Mosel