New exhibition in the Freiheitshalle - photographs by Ute + Werner Mahler

Ute and Werner Mahler are two of the most outstanding German photographers, who were among the style-defining photographers of the East during the GDR era and today, as then, realize their humanistic view of the world in intensive photo projects. After reunification, they co-founded the OSTKREUZ photography agency in Berlin. The agency gave rise to the OSTKREUZSCHULE FÜR FOTOGRAFIE, one of the most important training centers for documentary photography, artistic photography and photojournalism in Germany.

With this exhibition, Hof joins the ranks of the most renowned institutions that have already hosted Ute and Werner Mahler, such as Deichtorhallen Hamburg in 2014, Gropius Bau Berlin in 2016, Kunsthalle Rostock in 2020, Kunsthalle Erfurt in 2024 and C/O Berlin in 2024.

The Hof exhibition shows 50 large-format prints from the work groups "Wo die Welt zu Ende war", "Monalisen der Vorstädte", "Die seltsamen Tage" and "Mode FAZ-Magazin".

Ute and Werner Mahler were among the most important photographers of the GDR fashion magazine "Sibylle" and thus also shaped its international reputation. The magazine, which was published from 1956 to 1995, was regarded as the "Vogue of the East", not least because of the Mahler photographs. In collaboration with the Central-Kino Hof, a series of films will be shown that focus on photography or photographers. The idea for this came from the film "In einem Land, das es nicht mehr gibt" by Aelrun Goette, which premiered at the Hof International Film Festival 2022 and takes a fictional but realistic look at fashion and fashion journalism in the GDR. Other films with or about photographers complete the series.

The group of works "Where the world came to an end" takes a look at the former inner-German border 21 years after the fall of the Wall. Back then, 1,378 kilometers of border fences and barbed wire, soldiers with orders to shoot and, for many years, minefields and automatic firing systems formed a border that divided the country and the landscape. Today, it has become a unique biotope for plants and animals that have been able to develop undisturbed in the area. The contrast between the wild, untamed landscape and the few remaining traces of the border fortifications becomes visible. A mixture of nature and man-made horror.

One of the photographs was also taken in the immediate vicinity of Hof near Ullitz. At first glance, the exhibition title refers to the collaboration between Ute and Werner Mahler. However, "together" can also mean that boundaries are the result of human activity and are not eternal.

With this exhibition, the Cultural Office of the City of Hof is continuing the intensive exploration of the medium of photography that began with Barbara Klemm in 2012. The following works have been shown during this time: Stefan Moses (2013), Matthias Ley (2013), LfU photo group (2013), Helge Kirchberger (2014), Willi and Reinhard Feldrapp (2014), Thomas Hoepker (2014), KH. W. Steckelings | Heidi Innmann (2015), Jacques Sehy (2016), Pressefoto Bayern (2016), Christian Höhn (2019), Isolde Ohlbaum (2019), Subjektive CGI (2019), Moritz Holfelder (2020), Michael Friedel (2022), Bořivoj Hořínek (2023), Michael and Heinrich Jostmeier (2024). The fact that Ute and Werner Mahler, a photographer couple with a close collaboration and yet each with their own signature style and career, are now on display can be seen as a special highlight. The two photo artists were only awarded the German Photographic Society's (DGPh) Culture Prize, the highest award in this field, in 2023.

The exhibition is open from May 11 - October 26, 2025, Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00. Admission is free. Additional appointments are possible by arrangement for groups/schools.

The exhibition will open on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 5:30 pm.

Ute and Werner Mahler will be present at the opening. The head of the cultural department Peter Nürmberger (DGPh) will give an introduction.

The exhibition is supported by Sparkasse Hochfranken.