The Magdeburg Art Museum is marking its 50th anniversary with a unique photography exhibition that brings together 50 portraits of local residents who share the same birth year as the institution. The exhibition 'Born 1975' opened on Thursday as part of the museum's jubilee program titled 'Challenged Community,' showcasing photographs of men and women whose life paths are closely connected to Magdeburg.
The special exhibition presents portraits captured by four local photographers, each with their distinct artistic style - some in black and white, others in color. While some portraits focus solely on faces, others show full bodies against meaningful backgrounds. The diverse photographic approaches create a comprehensive portrait of a generation that has experienced transformation, new beginnings, and deep roots in their community.
According to Museum Director Annegret Laabs, the exhibition aims to create a dialogue between the people of Magdeburg and the art museum. 'The idea behind this is that all these people in Magdeburg could have followed the development of the art museum over 50 years,' Laabs explained. The question was whether they actually did so, and through the stories told by the portrait subjects, the museum discovered that many had indeed followed its evolution and been influenced by it.
Among the featured subjects is Peggy Darius, who now lives in Leipzig but was born in Magdeburg and taken to the museum by her parents from an early age. She recalls the dramatic changes the institution has undergone: 'I can remember the dark, old barrel vaults that I found very exciting back then. The impression for me was: I'm going into a crypt now, it was very cold there and old figures from the church were displayed.' During her last visit in July this year, she noticed how 'fresh and modern' everything had become, perceiving it now as a truly modern art museum.
The exhibition features work by Hans-Wulf Kunze, who considers himself a photo artist and has served as the museum's house photographer for decades. His works now hang in the museum's collection, and he has witnessed the institution's collecting activities change dramatically over the years. 'It started with small sculptures, then it became GDR sculpture,' Kunze noted, explaining that later photography - his specialty - was added to the collection. This evolution led to the portrait series for the 50th anniversary.
Another participant, Martin Fricke from Magdeburg, knows the building from his school days and approaches it from a tourism perspective, focusing on the architecture of the former monastery. 'What I remember is the cloister, the inner courtyard and the large rooms,' he reported, acknowledging that the art has indeed become increasingly contemporary over time.
Recent Magdeburg resident Christina Rost was drawn to participate in the portrait project precisely because of the museum's transformation into a very modern and internationally positioned institution. 'I think the museum is very modern but still has tradition,' Rost observed. She finds the monastery church spaces particularly impressive, where history expresses itself and makes the museum a living place. 'I think it's incredibly important for museums that art becomes alive,' she emphasized.
Rost was photographed by Elisabeth Heinemann, another contributing artist who works on commissioned portraits and has photographed stars like Hanna Schygulla and Günter Grass. Heinemann's trademark consists of enlarged black-and-white photographs that form part of the diverse artistic representation in the exhibition.
For Christina Rost, seeing herself displayed in the museum created an initially strange feeling. She doesn't see a resemblance to herself in the image, yet acknowledges that the portrait shows a piece of her. The milestone of turning 50 has prompted reflection, though she remains uncertain about her feelings upon seeing herself as part of the exhibition. Being displayed in a museum represents perhaps one of the most intimate relationships one can have with such an institution.
The exhibition runs from September 18 through November 2, 2025, at the Magdeburg Art Museum located on Regierungsstraße 4-6. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM, remaining closed on Mondays. This unique anniversary celebration not only honors the museum's five decades of cultural contribution but also invites both subjects and viewers to reflect differently on the role of art in society.
