100 years of Leica

The Leica is the extension of my eye.” Henri Cartier-Bresson

EYES WIDE OPEN! tells the history of a revolution. The invention of the Leica 100 years ago was the dawn of a new era in photography, the view on the world radically changed. The compact size, high performance lens, quiet mechanics and short shutter speed enabled permanent readiness, extreme perspectives and a spontaneity never seen before. This new speed, freedom and effortlessness catered to the needs of an accelerated age and inspired photographers worldwide.

Robert Capa’s falling soldier, the man jumping the puddle by Cartier-Bresson, the kissing couple in Times Square by Alfred Eisenstaedt, the Vietnamese fleeing from Napalm by Nick Út – all these iconic pictures have been taken with a Leica, and each of them has ingrained itself in collective memory.

Christer Strömholm: NANA; Place Blanche; Paris 1961. Aus der Ausstellung "Augen auf! 100 Jahre Leica", Deichtorhallen hamburg 24.Oktober 2014-11.Januar 2015 — Christer Strömholm: NANA; Place Blanche; Paris 1961. Aus der Ausstellung “Augen auf! 100 Jahre Leica”, Deichtorhallen hamburg 24.Oktober 2014-11.Januar 2015

Nick Út: The Associated Press, Napalmangriff in Vietnam, 1972 © Nick Út/AP. Aus der Ausstellung AUGEN AUF! - 100 JAHRE LEICA-FOTOGRAFIE, 24. Oktober 2014 bis 11. Januar 2015 in den Deichtorhallen Hamburg / Haus der Photographie. — Nick Út: The Associated Press, Napalmangriff in Vietnam, 1972 © Nick Út/AP. Aus der Ausstellung AUGEN AUF! – 100 JAHRE LEICA-FOTOGRAFIE, 24. Oktober 2014 bis 11. Januar 2015 in den Deichtorhallen Hamburg / Haus der Photographie.

EYES WIDE OPEN! illuminates the history of Leica photography from the very beginnings to the present day. In Vienna the touring exhibition will be jointly presented by WestLicht. Museum for Photography and OstLicht. Gallery for Photography. WestLicht will house the classical sections of the exhibition, with works from Rodchenko to Cartier-Bresson, accompanied by selected camera models, magzines and photobooks. OstLicht will display the more contemporary part, with photographs by Bernd Arnold, Julia Baier, Mark Cohen, Alberto Garcia-Alix, Bruce Gilden, Jing Huang, Rudi Meisel, Susan Meiselas, Jeff Mermelstein, Paulo Nozolino, Paolo Roversi, Tom Wood and many more. All works presented at OstLicht are available for purchase.

The exhibition is curated by Hans-Michael Koetzle. An accompanying book has been published by Kehrer Verlag, with texts by Alejandro Castellote, Michael Ebert, Peter Hamilton, Anton Holzer, Thomas Honickel, Hans-Michael Koetzle, Franziska Mecklenburg, Rebekka Reuter, Ulf Richter, Christoph Schaden, Emília Tavares, Enrica Viganò, Bernd Weise and Thomas Wiegand.