Intimate History

Thomas Höpker shaped photojournalism in Germany like no other. His photo reports have taken him all over the world. He worked as a reporter for the Münchner Illustrierte, later for the magazines Kristall and Stern. Right from the start of his career, Höpker saw his task as “living in close contact with the times, fathoming and unraveling the present”. In 1977 he moved to New York and in 1989 became the first German photographer to become a full member of the MAGNUM-Photos agency.

From the wealth of his life’s work, Thomas Höpker – Intimate History shows internationally known and never shown photographs. The synopsis conveys Höpker’s interest in social issues and his empathy for the people he portrays. Authenticity and photographic witnesses are the defining constants of his work. Unexcited, subtle and far from sensationalism, many of his motifs became icons of social documentary photography, also known as Concerned Photography, thanks to their precise image design and the dense image statements.

The exhibition was curated by Katharina Mouratidi and Miriam Zlobinski.

You can find all the information about the accompanying program here.

An exhibition as part of the EMOP – European Month of Photography.
In cooperation with the Ernst Leitz Museum, Wetzlar.

Image: © Thomas Höpker and MAGNUM-Photos