Benchmarks
Benchmarks
June 10, 2024
Thomas Hoepker: Old man with his pet bird in Ritan Park, Beijing, China, 1984 © Thomas Hoepker / Magnum Photos
Barbara Klemm, Elliott Erwitt, Thomas Hoepker and Eve Arnold are among the 28 represented artists who captured people on benches around the world. The featured genres are equally diverse, ranging from classic street photography to orchestrated images, all the way to portraits of stars such as Bob Dylan or Marilyn Monroe.
The bench becomes the stage on which the whimsical and absurd, the melancholic and unsettling moments of life can be revealed: each of the showcased works tells a unique, self-contained story that sparks the viewer’s imagination – often infused with a subtle dose of humour.
The showcase – titled Bankgeheimnisse (Bench Secrets) continues at the Fotografie-Forum Monschau until 16 June 2024.
Thomas Hoepker: Old man with his pet bird in Ritan Park, Beijing, China, 1984 © Thomas Hoepker / Magnum Photos
Gerti Deutsch: Aus dem Musterbuch, Vienna, 1930s
© Gerti Deutsch / Fotohof
Barbara Klemm: Stuttgart, 1972
© Barbara Klemm
Richard Kalvar: A black woman and a white woman talking, giving the impression of being angry, New York, USA, 1976 © Richard Kalvar / Magnum Photos