Günther Wilhelm - Warszawa-Praga - morbide Schönheit
22/03/24 - 05/05/24
Rudolf-Scharpf Galerie
An exhibition by the City Museum of Ludwigshafen hosted at the Rudolf-Scharpf-Galerie
On the right bank of the Vistula lies Praga, a historic district of the Polish capital Warsaw, known for its vibrant, livable, and tourist-attracting cultural scene. However, it is now threatened by radical urban development changes and gentrification measures.
For historical context: after the suppression of the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, the Nazis ordered the complete destruction of the city. Large parts became uninhabitable due to mass murders, bombings, looting, and arson. Praga, located on the eastern side of the Vistula, escaped annihilation only because the Soviet army had already advanced there.
Structural changes began during the socialist period of the post-war decades. Since the political transition of the early 1990s, these changes have continued in the context of neoliberal capitalism.
The photographer Günther Wilhelm from Ludwigshafen has visualized selected views of Praga using various technical methods and media, with remarkable consistency and expertise. This district has captivated the artist repeatedly for over ten years.
The result is unique and sensitive fine art prints that bestow a virtuoso charm upon the views of Praga, allowing the artist to powerfully highlight the “morbid beauty” of the places and objects. Particularly impressive are the decorated altars dedicated to the Virgin Mary, discovered in the gray courtyards.
Even in the 21st century, they testify to a Catholic folk belief that is increasingly receding into the background. Other subject groups include street layouts, house facades, doorways, and stairwells.
Press images can be downloaded via the following link: Press Images.
About the artist
Günther Wilhelm, born in 1949 in post-war Ludwigshafen, studied at the Free Academy/School of Applied Arts Mannheim (now the Faculty of Design at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences) from 1969 to 1974 under Professors Hans Nagel, Walter Koch, and Hubert Gems. Since then, he has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, publications, and received scholarships and awards.
From March 22 to May 5, 2024, the City Museum Ludwigshafen presents the first comprehensive exhibition of Praga photographs by Günther Wilhelm with the exhibition "Warszawa-Praga – Morbid Beauty."
For this exhibition, the City Museum will use the Rudolf-Scharpf-Galerie of the Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Hemshofstraße 54. With this presentation, the city honors the 50th anniversary of Günther Wilhelm's career as a freelance artist.
Opening
"Warszawa-Praga – Morbid Beauty" will open on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. Welcome and thank-you speeches will be given by René Zechlin, Director of the Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, and Dr. Regina Heilmann, Director of the City Museum. Barbara Auer, former Director of the Ludwigshafen Art Association, will introduce the exhibition.
The Rudolf-Scharpf-Galerie will be open from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.
Exhibition Catalog
A catalog with extensive illustrations and texts in both German and Polish will be published by Llux Verlag (ISBN 978-3-938031-90-2) to accompany the exhibition.
Accompanying Program
Sunday, April 14, 3:00 p.m.
"Alternative Photography: Barbara Auer in conversation with Günther Wilhelm" is the title of the artist talk on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. Barbara Auer is a curator for contemporary art.
As a long-time director of the Ludwigshafen Art Association, she has influenced the art scene nationally and internationally. She is also familiar with the photographic work of Günther Wilhelm. Following the talk, there will be an artist-led tour.
Sunday, April 28, 3:00 p.m.
Under the title "Seeing and Remembering: About the Work of the German-Polish Society," interested individuals are invited to an information afternoon on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.
Most members of the German-Polish Society Mannheim-Ludwigshafen (DPG) have a biographical connection to the eastern neighbor. They were born there, or their parents came from there. While Poles typically immigrated, Germans often arrived as a result of World War II. Today, they seek to engage with Poland, inform about its present and past, and remember the history of Poles in the Rhine-Neckar region.
Topics include forced laborers, prisoners at the Mannheim-Sandhofen concentration camp, and members of guard units in the U.S. Army in Mannheim. Men who participated in the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 were imprisoned in Sandhofen.
Board member Gisela Medzeg, with support from other active members, will report on the DPG, which was founded in 1980, and its work. More information about the DPG is available online at www.dpg-mannheim.de. Afterward, there will be an artist-led tour.
Sunday, May 5, 11:00 a.m.
To mark the end of the exhibition, a concert will take place on Sunday, May 5, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. with singer Nathalie Stadler and guitarist Pavel Khlopovskiy. Their selection of music ties in with the exhibition’s theme, bridging both Yiddish songs and art songs dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Afterward, there will be an artist-led tour.
Mezzo-soprano Nathalie Stadler studied singing at various institutions. She has performed as a soloist in numerous guest appearances, including in Warsaw. Among other honors, she received the Ludwigshafen Citizen Foundation Award several years ago for her outstanding contributions to the city’s culture. She is internationally active and lives in Ludwigshafen.
She will be accompanied by Pavel Khlopovskiy on guitar. The classically trained guitarist, who comes from a Moscow-based musical family and resides in Karlsruhe, performs internationally and collaborates with prominent contemporary composers.