The exhibition presents a unique dialogue between two outstanding photographic positions: Walter Vogel and Franziska Stünkel. Their works, separated by decades, meet in a fascinating interplay of time, space, and artistic perspective.
Walter Vogel, a pioneer of documentary photography, shaped the image of the second half of the 20th century with his Leica. In 2019, he was honored for his life's work and inducted into the Leica Hall of Fame. His works, characterized by precision and a deep sense of the human in his surroundings, showcase iconic moments and places. Franziska Stünkel, a multiple award-winning photographer, continues this tradition in the present with her works showcased at national and international exhibitions. Her approach is based on her series "Coexist," created worldwide with the Leica for 15 years, dedicating itself to the complex relationships of human interaction. She uses natural reflections on glass as a visual element, leaving them unaltered as a representation of reality without digital manipulation. Franziska Stünkel approaches Walter Vogel's works in a three-dimensional dialogue, creating geographical, associative, and visual connections. She follows Walter Vogel's footsteps in places like Paris, Florence, or New York. Decades later, she returns with her Leica to create new perspectives and capture the timelessness and transformation of these places. Vogel's documentary perspective engages in dialogue with her own artistic visual language. Her concept of open association, where she brings together her works under the title "all the stories," invites unexpected connections. Visual and emotional axes emerge between the photographs of Vogel and Stünkel, whether through formal elements like lines and silhouettes or thematic parallels. A Mexican mythical creature evokes associations with Vogel's playing communion children in the Ruhr area (1965), while the flowers in his Viennese rose gardens (1974) continue in the floral motifs of her works or Vogel's World Trade Center (1965) engages in a dialogue through the ages with Stünkel's reflection at Ground Zero.

The juxtaposition of the photographs showcases the transformation of places and societies over more than 8 decades but also emphasizes the timeless: the unchanged basic emotions of humans. Thus, a poetic dialogue unfolds between the artists, transcending the dimensions of time and space. The exhibition not only showcases the work of two photographers but also celebrates 100 years of Leica photography. It invites viewers to delve into the world of images, bridge the past and present, and experience the universal language of photography. The exhibition is the first in a series of 12 exhibitions worldwide for the 100th anniversary of Leica photography.