100 years of Leica

The Leica is the extension of my eye.” Henri Cartier-Bresson

EYES WIDE OPEN! tells the history of a revolution. The invention of the Leica 100 years ago was the dawn of a new era in photography, the view on the world radically changed. The compact size, high performance lens, quiet mechanics and short shutter speed enabled permanent readiness, extreme perspectives and a spontaneity never seen before. This new speed, freedom and effortlessness catered to the needs of an accelerated age and inspired photographers worldwide.

Robert Capa’s falling soldier, the man jumping the puddle by Cartier-Bresson, the kissing couple in Times Square by Alfred Eisenstaedt, the Vietnamese fleeing from Napalm by Nick Út – all these iconic pictures have been taken with a Leica, and each of them has ingrained itself in collective memory.

Christer Strömholm: NANA; Place Blanche; Paris 1961. Aus der Ausstellung "Augen auf! 100 Jahre Leica", Deichtorhallen hamburg 24.Oktober 2014-11.Januar 2015 — Christer Strömholm: NANA; Place Blanche; Paris 1961. Aus der Ausstellung “Augen auf! 100 Jahre Leica”, Deichtorhallen hamburg 24.Oktober 2014-11.Januar 2015

Nick Út: The Associated Press, Napalmangriff in Vietnam, 1972 © Nick Út/AP. Aus der Ausstellung AUGEN AUF! - 100 JAHRE LEICA-FOTOGRAFIE, 24. Oktober 2014 bis 11. Januar 2015 in den Deichtorhallen Hamburg / Haus der Photographie. — Nick Út: The Associated Press, Napalmangriff in Vietnam, 1972 © Nick Út/AP. Aus der Ausstellung AUGEN AUF! – 100 JAHRE LEICA-FOTOGRAFIE, 24. Oktober 2014 bis 11. Januar 2015 in den Deichtorhallen Hamburg / Haus der Photographie.

EYES WIDE OPEN! illuminates the history of Leica photography from the very beginnings to the present day. In Vienna the touring exhibition will be jointly presented by WestLicht. Museum for Photography and OstLicht. Gallery for Photography. WestLicht will house the classical sections of the exhibition, with works from Rodchenko to Cartier-Bresson, accompanied by selected camera models, magzines and photobooks. OstLicht will display the more contemporary part, with photographs by Bernd Arnold, Julia Baier, Mark Cohen, Alberto Garcia-Alix, Bruce Gilden, Jing Huang, Rudi Meisel, Susan Meiselas, Jeff Mermelstein, Paulo Nozolino, Paolo Roversi, Tom Wood and many more. All works presented at OstLicht are available for purchase.

The exhibition is curated by Hans-Michael Koetzle. An accompanying book has been published by Kehrer Verlag, with texts by Alejandro Castellote, Michael Ebert, Peter Hamilton, Anton Holzer, Thomas Honickel, Hans-Michael Koetzle, Franziska Mecklenburg, Rebekka Reuter, Ulf Richter, Christoph Schaden, Emília Tavares, Enrica Viganò, Bernd Weise and Thomas Wiegand.

Das Koelner Heil aus dem Zyklus "Macht und Ritual": Macht und Rituale der Katholischen Kirche in Koeln 1986-1997, Kardinal in seinem Dienstwagen, 1989, Koeln, Deutschland. Power and Ritual - Das Koelner Heil Archbishop in his car. Power and rituals of the catholic church in Cologne, Germany, Europe, 1986-1997. — Das Koelner Heil aus dem Zyklus “Macht und Ritual”: Macht und Rituale der Katholischen Kirche in Koeln 1986-1997, Kardinal in seinem Dienstwagen, 1989, Koeln, Deutschland.
Power and Ritual – Das Koelner Heil
Archbishop in his car. Power and rituals of the catholic church in Cologne, Germany, Europe, 1986-1997.

Part I – The Classics

04.12.2015 – 21.02.2016

WestLicht. Museum for Photography

http://www.westlicht.com

Part II – The Contemporaries

11.12.2015 – 13.02.2016

OstLicht. Gallery for Photography

http://www.ostlicht.at

All photographs are available for purchase.

Alfred Eisenstaedt: VJ Day, Times Square, NY, 14. August 1945. Aus der Ausstellung AUGEN AUF! - 100 JAHRE LEICA-FOTOGRAFIE, 24. Oktober 2014 bis 11. Januar 2015 in den Deichtorhallen Hamburg / Haus der Photographie. — Alfred Eisenstaedt: VJ Day, Times Square, NY, 14. August 1945. Aus der Ausstellung AUGEN AUF! – 100 JAHRE LEICA-FOTOGRAFIE, 24. Oktober 2014 bis 11. Januar 2015 in den Deichtorhallen Hamburg / Haus der Photographie.

EVENTS and TOURS

Guided Tours

So, 13.12.2015, 15 h, WestLicht
Do, 11.02.2016, 19 h, WestLicht
Sa, 13.02.2016, 15 h, OstLicht

Workshop with François Fontaine

Fr, 15. – So, 17.01.2016, OstLicht
Maximum number of participants: 15
For registration and information contact [email protected]

Exhibition Tours with Hans-Michael Koetzle

Sa, 23.01.2016, 11 h, WestLicht
Sa, 23.01.2016, 16 h, OstLicht
So, 24.01.2016, 14 h, WestLicht

Lecture by Rudi Meisel

Grenzgänger. Zwischen Journalismus und Autorenfotografie
in German language
Fr, 22.01.2016, 18 h, WestLicht

Publication

Eyes Wide Open! 100 Years of Leica
Ed. by Hans-Michael Koetzle
564 pages, 1,200 illustrations
Kehrer Verlag, EUR 98,-
order online here