Wilfried K. Hedenborg: Resonance. When Sound Turns into Image

The exhibition “Resonance. When Sound Turns into Image” at Leica Gallery Vienna offers a unique perspective: Wilfried K. Hedenborg is a violinist who performs both as a soloist, chamber musician and as a member of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic. His photography captures his personal approach to music and life in an orchestra. From his position within the first violins of the orchestra, he captures artistic processes, thereby not only bringing together the specific qualities of both arts but also offering an insight into a world shaped by mutual trust and great sensitivity. A world in which music, a language without borders, comes to life.

Wilfried K. Hedenborg’s photographs reflect his personal approach to music and his work within the orchestra, which he accompanies with his violin and camera at concerts, rehearsals, and behind the scenes. In his images, he captures artistic processes, thereby bringing together the unique qualities of photography and music. “The camera becomes an extension of the eye, just as the violin and bow become extensions of the arm and hand,” says Hedenborg.

His unique perspective as a member and concertmaster of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic Society offers intimate insights into a world that is otherwise only experienced from a distance—a world characterized by mutual trust and great sensitivity. The photographs reveal that making music together gives rise to a special form of communication—beyond words—through breathing, gestures, eye contact, and the shared shaping of musical phrases. Likewise, the special connection to the respective maestros—such as Tugan Sokhiev, Franz Welser-Möst, and Seiji Ozawa—is evident as a co-creative partnership, and the process of interpreting musical worlds becomes palpable.

Coming from a family of musicians, music was the central focus of Wilfried K. Hedenborg’s life from the very beginning. His journey began with his first violin lessons from his father, continued with studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Vienna Conservatory, and ultimately led him to the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic. Amid this musical environment, a second artistic medium took shape during his student years: photography. Hedenborg now uses several Leica cameras in his work, including a “much-loved M3 from 1955, the year the Vienna State Opera reopened,” which was bequeathed to him by the father of a close friend. The cameras initially served as a means of documentation on the sidelines, then as quiet companions during breaks, until they eventually became part of his daily professional routine.

• Exhibition: 8th of May 2026 – 30th of Mai 2026
• Opening hours: Monday – Saturday, 10:00 – 18:00
• Opening: Thursday, 7th of May, 18:30, RSVP mandatory.
• Artist Talk with Wilfried K. Hedenborg: Tuesday, 19th of May 2026, 18:30, RSVP mandatory.
• Leica Classic Day: Wednesday, 27th of May 2026, from 13:00, registration and program here.