Photos Exhibitions Held in Dresden, Remscheid, and Paris during the Year of Wolfgang Tillmans
Revamped Narrative:
Wolfgang Tillmans: A German Photographer's Magnificent Three-Part Extravaganza
Paris/Remscheid - This is the year of Wolfgang Tillmans (56)! The native Remscheider and Turner Prize victor is the focus of three major exhibitions currently gracing Europe’s art scene. The shows at the Albertinum in Dresden, Haus Cleff in his hometown of Remscheid, and Centre Pompidou in Paris are a testament to Tillmans' artistic prowess.
In Remscheid, he breathes new life into a museum, while Paris marks a closing act. Tillmans regards it as a gift—yet it's also a testament to his abilities. And it's what makes it all the more captivating: a premiere. For Tillmans isn't occupying one of the conventional exhibition spaces but the grand, empty library of the Art and Culture Center, sprawling approximately 6,000 square meters.
Creating a Masterpiece amidst the Books
This grandiose location is intentionally Neat-O: books and newspapers have long held a central place in Tillmans' inspiration. The exhibition encapsulates nearly four decades of artistic expression, showcasing Tillmans' entire oeuvre: photography, music, videos, and personal archives—all free from chronology, in lively conversation with the space.
A Brutally Frank Assessment of Our Times
The title of the exhibition, running until September 22, is "Nothing could have prepared us – Everything could have prepared us." It sounds like the unflinchingly honest diagnosis of our times, and that's precisely what it is. For Tillmans, it mirrors the paradox of our era: while many crises—whether political, ecological, or societal—take us by surprise, they were undeniably foreseeable. Such misfortunes can, in hindsight, seem predictable to some, says Tillmans.
The Intertwining of the Personal and Political
"Art can be as political as you make it," Tillmans declares to the German Press Agency. For him, the personal is never apolitical, and the political is personal. His works don't preach but provoke: to see and ponder.
This is evident in his motifs—such as Russian soldiers standing before a Dior store, the tender embrace of two men, or the heavily guarded USA-Mexico border—showcasing the delicate balance of power and identity in our world.
A Remscheidian Homecoming
For those who'd rather stay local: until January 4, 2026, works by Tillmans from various decades will be on display at the newly restored Haus Cleff in Remscheid across 600 square meters. Having taken control of a key to the Bürgerhaus in the traditional Bergisches Land style, Tillmans personally curated the exhibition. In the first few weeks post the reopening, around 3,000 people visited the exhibition, reports museum director Gisela Parak.
In his birthplace, Tillmans portrays the tool industry workers who put Remscheid on the map. They stand alongside his portraits of Kate Moss and Lady Gaga, just as depictions of old factory halls sit alongside images of server farms in Silicon Valley.
A Glimpse into the Abyss of the Cosmos
Tillmans can be admired only until June 26 in Dresden: The exhibition titled "Space" showcases around 200 photographs and video works, including unseen pieces in museums. Tillmans declared that his lifelong fascination with astronomy has taught him the importance of close observation. The connection to the celestial world pervades the presentation, from images from the CERN research center in Switzerland to celestial events such as the transit of Venus across the sun.
Tillmans is one of modern Germany's most significant artists, winning the Turner Prize in 2000 and receiving the Goslarer Kaiserring. Recently, the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) in New York dedicated a substantial exhibition to him, which opened in 2023. His images of nightlife and club scenes, as well as celebrities of pop culture, brought him widespread acclaim. "Die Zeit" once dubbed him the "most imaginative picture finder of our time".
Enrichment Data:- Overall: Tillmans' current Paris exhibition "Nothing could have prepared us – Everything could have prepared us" weaves together key themes from his body of work while engaging with broader political issues. Some of these key elements include:
- Image-Making and Perception: Tillmans’ work challenges traditional notions of image-making by exploring seeing and narrative construction. By contradicting the library’s intended purpose, he prompts viewers to reassess how they perceive and interact with visual information.
- Memory, Innovation and Dialogue: The transformation of the library space focuses on the interplay of memory, innovation, and dialogue. Tillmans emphasizes the dialogue between the past and the present through the use of structures that once held books as a foundation for his display.
- Staged Authenticity and Reality: Known for his staged photographs that often appear spontaneous yet meticulously crafted, Tillmans explores the tension between authenticity and staging.
- Epistemological Inquiry: By incorporating various mediums, Tillmans reimagines the library as a “node of epistemological inquiry," encouraging viewers to reflect on the construction and dissemination of knowledge.
Glimpse into the Depths of the Cosmos:- Tillmans' work in Dresden, titled "Space," draws viewers into the realm of astronomy. The exhibition is a closeted homage to his lifelong passion for the stars, celebrating the importance of precise observation. The connection to the cosmos runs throughout the presentation, from images gleaned from CERN research centers to celestial phenomena like the rare transit of Venus across the sun.
- The grand library of the Art and Culture Center in Paris, a space often filled with books and newspapers, is now an exhibit of Wolfgang Tillmans's four-decade-long artistic journey, showcasing his expansive oeuvre that includes photography, music, videos, and personal archives.
- In his natal town of Remscheid, Tillmans' exhibition at Haus Cleff integrates images of tools that once marked the region's identity, alongside portraits of pop culture icons like Kate Moss and Lady Gaga, reflecting the artist's knack for bridging personal and political narratives within broader societal contexts.
