The exhibition *The Magic of the Street* at f3 – freiraum für fotografie showcases some of the most significant names in the history of photography. It showcases iconic works of street photography by artists such as Jane Evelyn Atwood, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliott Erwitt, Thomas Hoepker, William Klein, Steve McCurry, Joel Meyerowitz, and Alexander Rodchenko, as well as works by young photographers including Julia Baier, Jacob Aue Sobol, Fred Mortagne, and Matt Stuart.
Image gallery
Bob Dylan, Greenwich Village, New York City, USA, 1963
Aus der Serie Nosotras, Minneapolis, USA, 2019
Verkehr am Times Square, New York, USA, 1983
Street photography is one of the most exciting and vibrant genres of photography. It documents people’s lives in urban, public spaces in an immediate and authentic way, making social changes and cultural developments visible
and preserves historical events for future generations. Viewed through the lens of outstanding photographers, a seemingly ordinary moment is transformed—thanks to professional precision, unique subjects, and a subjective visual language—into a significant historical document that points far beyond the moment itself.
Street photography has its origins in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The invention of compact and lightweight cameras—including the 35mm LEICA camera developed by Oskar Barnack—made it possible to take photography out of the studio. It was the first camera to use 35mm
cinema film in landscape format, which corresponded to the 24 × 36 mm 35mm format. This technical innovation was revolutionary: for the first time, photographers could capture everyday life spontaneously, immediately, and without elaborate staging of lighting and poses.
Elliott Erwitt’s humorous photographs, in which dogs vie with their human companions for the leading role; Henry Cartier-Bresson’s early travel impressions; William Klein’s images from Paris during the student unrest of 1968; Graciela Magnoni’s global body of work on women and girls; and Steve McCurry’s haunting photographs from India’s major cities:
Through approximately one hundred photographs from the LEICA Archive, 45 photographers offer insight into the history of the medium from 1934 to 2023. “The Magic of the Street” features both world-famous images and surprising new discoveries.
The exhibition was curated by Karin Rehn-Kaufmann and Inas Fayed.
Additional information
Tickets:
Admission: €7 | reduced rate €5
Opening:
Wed., September 16, 7–9 p.m. Free admission!
