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In Conversation: Lena Mucha and Barbara Klemm
In Conversation: Lena Mucha and Barbara Klemm
December 8, 2025
© Barbara Klemm, New York
The In Conversation: A Photographic Dialogue exhibition format takes place in its final edition between Lena Mucha and Barbara Klemm. Mucha’s work is dedicated to social change and giving minorities – such as young Yazidi women – a presence. Klemm, in turn, is considered a pioneer of contemporary photography. She has been capturing social and political moods at home and abroad for over 60 years. Mucha spoke with us about their photographic exchange.
Lena Mucha: “My work deals with young Yazidi women living in Germany. They are activists who use their voices to explain about Yazidi culture, the genocide and the current situation of the Yazidi. They were themselves young girls when they fled from northern Iraq, and have been living in Germany ever since.
The thing that impresses me most about Barbara Klemm’s work is the closeness to the people. Her photos tell their stories, and you want to learn more about their background and hear more stories. Her respectful presentation of people and her sensitive way of looking at events are inspiring. The images convey a sense for the essential and encourage reflection. In the 1960s and 1970s, Klemm was working very successfully in a male-dominated profession. A role model for women, she used her voice and perspective to raise awareness within patriarchal structures, which also influenced the choice of topic for my project.
Both Barbara and the young Yazidi women I portray are pioneers: Klemm in her role as a photojournalist in the sixties; and the Yazidi women as survivors of a genocide, who currently live in diaspora as a minority in Germany. Klemm conveyed the spirit of the times, particularly in public life, using snapshots to capture important historical moments and provide insights into society. In my work, I immerse myself in the stories of my protagonists and get very close to them. There are also some differences in our approaches: Klemm works with individual images, while my project is structured as a series. In addition, Klemm photographed in black and white, while I work in colour.”
Lena Mucha: “My work deals with young Yazidi women living in Germany. They are activists who use their voices to explain about Yazidi culture, the genocide and the current situation of the Yazidi. They were themselves young girls when they fled from northern Iraq, and have been living in Germany ever since.
The thing that impresses me most about Barbara Klemm’s work is the closeness to the people. Her photos tell their stories, and you want to learn more about their background and hear more stories. Her respectful presentation of people and her sensitive way of looking at events are inspiring. The images convey a sense for the essential and encourage reflection. In the 1960s and 1970s, Klemm was working very successfully in a male-dominated profession. A role model for women, she used her voice and perspective to raise awareness within patriarchal structures, which also influenced the choice of topic for my project.
Both Barbara and the young Yazidi women I portray are pioneers: Klemm in her role as a photojournalist in the sixties; and the Yazidi women as survivors of a genocide, who currently live in diaspora as a minority in Germany. Klemm conveyed the spirit of the times, particularly in public life, using snapshots to capture important historical moments and provide insights into society. In my work, I immerse myself in the stories of my protagonists and get very close to them. There are also some differences in our approaches: Klemm works with individual images, while my project is structured as a series. In addition, Klemm photographed in black and white, while I work in colour.”
Text: © Lena Mucha; Image: © Barbara Klemm
In Conversation+-
The exhibition will be on view from December 2025 until February 2026 at the Leica Gallery Vienna.
Lena Mucha+-
Lena Mucha, born in 1983, is a German photographer. In 2011, she completed her Master’s degree in Political Science and Social Anthropology in Cologne. Her work focuses on socially critical subjects such as human rights, equality, and migration. She lived for several years in Colombia and Guatemala, where she worked for NGOs. Her photo reportages earned her, among other distinctions, the “Reporters in the Field” grant. In 2016, she received scholarships for Magnum workshops with Patrick Zachmann and David Alan Harvey. She lives and works between Berlin and Munich.
Barbara Klemm+-
Barbara Klemm was born in 1939 in Münster, Westphalia, and grew up in an artistic family; her father, Fritz Klemm, was a professor at the Karlsruhe Academy of Fine Arts. Through him, she gained her first photographic experience. In 1958, she began training as a photographer in a portrait studio in Karlsruhe and, from 1959 onwards, worked in the photo laboratory of the FAZ. Her first works were also published there as a freelance contributor. From 1970 to 2005 she was employed as a staff photographer for politics and the arts section. She has received several awards, including the Leica Hall of Fame Award in 2012. Barbara Klemm lives in Frankfurt am Main.
© Barbara Klemm, New York
© Barbara Klemm, Krakau