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100 Years of Leica Photography

»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.

»EYES WIDE OPEN!« illuminates the history of Leica photography from the very beginnings to the present day. In Vienna the touring exhibition was jointly presented by WestLicht. Museum for Photography and OstLicht. Gallery for Photography. WestLicht housed the classical sections of the exhibition, with works from Rodchenko to Cartier-Bresson, accompanied by selected camera models, magazines and photobooks. OstLicht displayed the more contemporary part, with photographs by Nobuyoshi Araki, Bernd Arnold, Julia Baier, René Burri, Mark Cohen, Alberto Garcia-Alix, Bruce Gilden, Jing Huang, Rudi Meisel, Susan Meiselas, Jeff Mermelstein, Paulo Nozolino, Paolo Roversi, Tom Wood and many more.

Curated by Hans-Michael Koetzle

The photographs are available for sale.

IMPRESSIONS FROM THE OPENING

Opening of the exhibition »Eyes wide open! 100 Years of Leica Photography« at OstLicht © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Opening of the exhibition »Eyes wide open! 100 Years of Leica Photography« at OstLicht © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Bruno Barbey, Hans-Michael Koetzle & Andrea Hoyer © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Bruno Barbey & Hans-Michael Koetzle © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Peter Coeln (OstLicht/WestLicht) © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Hans-Michael Koetzle & Peter Coeln © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Hans-Michael Koetzle & Andrea Hoyer © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

ernd Arnold © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Hans-Michael Koetzle & Bruno Barbey © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Opening of the exhibition »Eyes wide open! 100 Years of Leica Photography« at OstLicht © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Opening of the exhibition »Eyes wide open! 100 Years of Leica Photography« at OstLicht © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Judith Reisinger (OstLicht/WestLicht) & Ulrich Seidl © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Opening of the exhibition »Eyes wide open! 100 Years of Leica Photography« at OstLicht © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

Opening of the exhibition »Eyes wide open! 100 Years of Leica Photography« at OstLicht © Peter Jakadofsky / OstLicht

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