This exhibition celebrates 100 years of Leica photography, exploring how the invention and commercialization of the Leica camera revolutionized the art form. It features around 400 photographs and documentary materials, highlighting its impact on photojournalism, subjective photography, and color photography.
The exhibition 'Con los ojos bien abiertos. Cien años de fotografía Leica' commemorates a century of revolutionary photography brought about by the Leica camera. Oskar Barnack's invention in 1914 of a compact, lightweight camera using 35mm cinematic film was more than just a new device; it fundamentally changed how reality is recorded. The camera's portability and ease of use democratized photography, making it accessible to amateurs, women, and a new generation of photojournalists, enabling spontaneous and dynamic shots previously impossible.
The exhibition, curated by Hans-Michael Koetzle, delves into the paradigm shift Leica introduced, examining its role in 'Neue Sehen' (New Vision), photojournalism, subjective and humanist photography, the advent of color photography, fashion photography, and the work of individual authors. Featuring nearly 400 photographs and extensive documentary material including newspapers, magazines, books, and camera prototypes, the show traces the history of 35mm film photography from its origins to the present day, paying homage to a technology that reshaped our perception of the world, akin to the impact of smartphones today. It includes works by renowned photographers such as Cartier-Bresson, Paul Wolff, Bruce Davidson, Capa, and Robert Frank, alongside insights into Oskar Barnack's development process.
