Photographic Notes
Works from the Contemporary Art Collection
17 Mar - 06 Aug 2023
Bernd und Hilla Becher, Industrielle Landschaften, Grube San Fernando, Herdorf, Siegerland, 1961, MGKSiegen, Contemporary Art Collection, © 2023 Estate Bernd and Hilla Becher, represented by Max Becher
Photography has been a focal point of the Contemporary Art Collection from the very first. Due to two internationally known, regionally rooted photographic positions, August Sander and Bernd & Hilla Becher, the photography collection is characterised by what is widely perceived as a documentary, factual stance. The works reflect a serial, conceptual, and project-related approach.
The title “Photographic Notes” references the medium of photography by evoking the act of personal chronicling, the capturing of a (historical) moment, the observation of change or a cultural state. At the same time, it cites the photographer as author, and thus the subjective gaze inherent to every photograph. The exhibition gathers works of art which explore themes from our lifeworld, involving nature, culture, and humankind, and which also reflect on their representation. Taking centre stage are images of different landscapes, special places and architectural structures, but also people engaging with these living spaces. The exhibition inspires a comparison of different approaches and photographic strategies. The selection of works fosters new perspectives on things that are purportedly familiar. It facilitates visual experiences that extend beyond the purely documentary.
With works by Bernd und Hilla Becher, Claus Bury, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Bernhard Fuchs, Andreas Gursky, Hans Haacke, Candida Höfer, Aglaia Konrad, Jochen Lempert, Armin Linke, Simone Nieweg, Peter Piller, Andrea Robbins/ Max Becher, August Sander, Thomas Struth, Wolfgang Tillmans, Stephen Willats
Curated by Lea März
The title “Photographic Notes” references the medium of photography by evoking the act of personal chronicling, the capturing of a (historical) moment, the observation of change or a cultural state. At the same time, it cites the photographer as author, and thus the subjective gaze inherent to every photograph. The exhibition gathers works of art which explore themes from our lifeworld, involving nature, culture, and humankind, and which also reflect on their representation. Taking centre stage are images of different landscapes, special places and architectural structures, but also people engaging with these living spaces. The exhibition inspires a comparison of different approaches and photographic strategies. The selection of works fosters new perspectives on things that are purportedly familiar. It facilitates visual experiences that extend beyond the purely documentary.
With works by Bernd und Hilla Becher, Claus Bury, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Bernhard Fuchs, Andreas Gursky, Hans Haacke, Candida Höfer, Aglaia Konrad, Jochen Lempert, Armin Linke, Simone Nieweg, Peter Piller, Andrea Robbins/ Max Becher, August Sander, Thomas Struth, Wolfgang Tillmans, Stephen Willats
Curated by Lea März