Images of current events shape how we see reality, which makes nuanced perspectives all the more crucial. Press photography remains male-dominated to this day – it’s still rare to see the world through a woman’s lens, and many voices remain underrepresented. A new exhibition juxtaposes the work of press photography pioneer Barbara Klemm and Berlin-based photographer Lena Mucha and highlights the importance of photography in documenting the times we live in. 

The exhibition displays the work of both photographers in a fascinating dialogue on the role of photography in depicting contemporary history. Born in 1939, Barbara Klemm has covered political events in recent history with her camera like few other women photographers working in Germany. She spent three decades on staff as an editorial photographer for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). In this role, she captured countless events and figures from the world of German and international politics — not with the thirst for sensation often found in photojournalism, but with a feel for what truly matters and a respect for the people she photographed.

Born in 1983, Lena Mucha has been equally successful in winning the trust of the women in her photography, who she followed for two years, and documenting their personal stories. Political activism and dealing with trauma are the themes Mucha sought to translate into a visual medium. What fascinates Mucha most of all about Klemm’s work is the respectful way she treats the human being in front of the camera and her sensitive view of events. This is one of the reasons why Klemm has been something of a role model for Mucha in her work as a photojournalist: “Images shape how we see the world, evaluate what happens and form political opinions. With our perspective, our empathy and our interest in the people we work with, we can convey a feeling that reaches the viewer and can connect people beyond borders”, says Lena Mucha.

Barbara Klemm is a precise chronicler of the times in which we live. Her shots document the key moments that shaped our photographic memory. The photographer began working with the FAZ in 1959. From 1970 to the end of 2004, she was on staff as an editorial photographer, focusing on politics and culture. From student protests, the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall to the Kohl era and modern Germany – Klemm always got the right shot. She also sensitively captured the everyday lives of people around the world with her travel photography. Klemm received countless awards, such as the Dr. Erich Salomon Award for her commitment to photojournalism from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fotografie (German Photographic Society) in 1989 and the Leica Hall of Fame Award for her life’s work in 2012. Lena Mucha is a freelance photographer, based in Berlin. She completed her master’s degree in political science and social anthropology in Cologne in 2011. She has received the “Reporters in the Field” stipend for her photo reportage, among other accolades. In 2016, she received scholarships for Magnum workshops with Patrick Zachmann and David Alan Harvey. Her work has appeared in publications such as Burn Magazine, Vice Colombia, The Huffington Post, Stern and Lensculture. She focuses on socio-political issues and work with minoritised groups. As a photographer, she undertakes commissions for organisations such as National Geographic, GEO, Washington Post, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Der Spiegel, ZEIT, Doctors Without Borders, and more.

The exhibition In Conversation: Barbara Klemm and Lena Mucha runs from 5 December 2025 to 7 February 2026 in the Leica Gallery Vienna, Seilergasse 14, 1010 Vienna. The opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.