Vernissage City Archives Dresden
Over the past two years, I have documented the Saxon state capital of Dresden in over 8,000 images. It was the most challenging project I have ever undertaken as an architectural photographer. In both 35°C heat without shade in high summer and -5°C with snowfall, I walked over 1,300km, covering every street in the city, and preserved the city's structural and non-structural appearance for posterity. The components of a cityscape typically include buildings, streets, squares, green spaces, prominent mountains, rocks, and rivers. Together, they form urban landscapes. These urban topographies are in a state of constant change, and documenting the transformation of the city's districts is worthwhile: for urban history, the sciences, public relations, future urban planning, and a city society that reflects on itself in the present. Photography is the appropriate medium for this, as photos can particularly clearly illustrate upheavals, renovations, and transformations. The technical requirements and the long-term preservation of the photos are easily achievable.
Following a tradition of cityscape documentation in Dresden that dates back around 200 years, the city archives began planning the "Cityscape Photography" project in 2020. The aim was to create holistic, photo-documentary, and sophisticated cityscape photography according to municipal guidelines, which will be freely and digitally available to the public from December 4, 2023. A total of 8,043 photos were taken.
The exhibition on this project opened on December 4, 2023, at the Stadtarchiv Dresden (Dresden City Archives). The exhibition showcases both the historical context of cityscape documentation and a selection of my photographs taken in the ten Dresden districts.
For the coming year, I am planning to publish my first self-published book entitled “Dresden City Photography 2021-2023”. If you would like to support this project, please visit my new online store. Here you will find a selection of 12 Dresden motifs. 50% of the proceeds from each sale will go towards the production of the book. I am incredibly grateful for your support!
Below are some pictures from the opening of the exhibition. Dresden's cultural mayor Annekatrin Klepsch and the director of the Dresden City Archives, Prof. Thomas Kübler, opened the event, followed by my presentation on the creation of the photo series. We were able to welcome over 180 visitors that evening. You can visit the exhibition until March 22, 2024, Mo & Wed from 09:00-16:00, Tue & Thu from 09:00-17:00 and Fri from 09:00-12:00 at Elisabeth-Boer-Straße 1, 01099 Dresden.
