Leica at the BERLIN PHOTO WEEK

The mercilessly hard and directly confrontational nature of his street photography has made Bruce Gilden a spectacular and much-discussed photographer in the USA over the past decades. For most of his life, Gilden photographed exclusively in black and white, but it was his personal discovery of the Leica S in particular that brought him to colour a few years ago. With his latest Faces project, Gilden has once again radicalised his usual standards. For this series of portraits, he not only took more time, but also asked the subjects for permission to be photographed. Thus, despite their disturbing ruthlessness, the pictures are the result of a consensus and a very brief but at the same time very intense interaction. Mainly at folk festivals, but also in cities such as Las Vegas or Los Angeles, the series were created in 2013 and 2014. "The visual appeal of my motifs is the source of inspiration and driving force behind my work and the common thread in everything I do. With one important change, I see the world in colour and photograph faces closer than ever before."

In addition to Bruce Gilden's works, visitors to the Haubentaucher will also have the opportunity to test the latest Leica product portfolio and receive extensive advice.

Leica's presence at the BERLIN PHOTO WEEK will be rounded off at Cassiopeia, also on the R.A.W. grounds. In keeping with the location, the exhibition "Montreux" by Leica photographer Michael Agel will be presented here on the ground floor. Music plays a central role in the photographer's works, as he has accompanied concerts and tours of various musicians for many years. Whether Jamie Cullum, Metallica or the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, Agel always finds a personal approach to the musicians he portrays. His photography therefore always goes far beyond the role of a documentary. Even though it is impossible to reproduce the artists' voices or the individual notes in a photograph, he always manages to capture the special atmosphere of a musical experience in a shot. At the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2013, he photographed almost all the musicians during their live performances. Agel managed to get very close to the stars on stage with his Leica S and Leica M Monochrom. This resulted in an incomparable series: direct, powerful and yet also very musical.

On the first floor of Cassiopeia, visitors can expect the high-quality products of the renowned and multiple award-winning photo laboratory WhiteWall. Since the end of October 2020, the WhiteWall product portfolio has also been available in selected Leica Stores worldwide, such as the Leica Store in Leitz Park and the Leica Store|Galerie Munich. Customers thus benefit from the extensive portfolio of both companies and receive a holistic range of photography services - from product advice and services to the final mural - at a central location.