Renowned photographer Thomas Radbruch is celebrating his 80th birthday with a comprehensive exhibition of his life's work, showcasing more than 60 years of photography that extends far beyond his famous Lübeck cityscapes. The exhibition, opening November 13 at a pop-up studio on Königstraße, features diverse photographs from around the world that chronicle both artistic evolution and historical moments.
The studio space is filled with stacked photographs, canvas-mounted works hanging on walls, pieces leaning against support pillars, and images displayed on easels in the window. The collection includes landscape impressions, graphics, photomontages, series work, detail shots, and candid moments captured throughout Radbruch's extensive career.
Photography runs in Radbruch's family, creating a multi-generational tradition of image-making. His grandfather Ferdinand was a photographer in the 1920s who originally wanted to become a singer but was forbidden by his father, leading him to pursue photography out of defiance. Using a large format camera, Ferdinand traveled through the region photographing craftsmen and farmers, and these historical images are now part of the current exhibition.
Radbruch began his conscious photography journey in 1963 at age 18, though he initially aspired to be a musician. After studying at the Hamburg Photography School, he lived in Frankfurt, Berlin, and Munich, working as a photojournalist for fashion and architecture magazines. The hippie era influenced his drive for independence and self-reliance, and he fondly remembers the intellectual and spiritual flowering of that time.
His travels took him around the world, where he purchased old vehicles to sleep in and drive millions of kilometers while capturing images everywhere he went. Notable works include a solitary tree in an ash steppe in Arizona with a volcano in the background, and his favorite photograph of a violinist's hands holding a well-worn instrument with a bow repaired hundreds of times. He created an entire photo book called 'Last Exit' featuring car wrecks, reflecting his childhood interest in automobiles.
One of Radbruch's most historically significant projects involved photographing the Berlin Wall during the time of German reunification. Living in the capital during the fall of the Wall, he witnessed what he describes as 'the strange history of the fall of the Wall' and found himself 'in the middle of the madness.' He shot large panoramic photos of the inner-German border without knowing the Wall would fall three months later.
These Berlin Wall photographs gained international recognition when Roger Waters of Pink Floyd performed his monumental concert 'The Wall' on July 21, 1990, at Potsdamer Platz before more than 300,000 people. Radbruch's images were projected onto a 30-by-150-meter foam replica of the Wall, and hundreds of millions of people worldwide watched the television broadcast. Reflecting on that optimistic time, Radbruch notes with some melancholy that 'we all had the feeling back then that everything would get better now.'
Upon returning to his birthplace of Lübeck, Radbruch set out to show locals their city in a new way, wanting to demonstrate the magnificent setting in which they live. He became particularly known for his postcard motifs and Lübeck calendars, with the 30th edition published this year. However, his work encompasses much broader themes, including social criticism through series like '20 Ways to Leave Your Smartphone,' which shows destroyed phones floating through space and explores how smartphones both enrich and impoverish simultaneously.
The exhibition also features a photographic series of a beautifully set table with candles, fine dishes, and a hearty meal that Radbruch repeatedly photographed as the food gradually rotted. This work exemplifies his interest in decay and transformation, though he disputes claims that he has a particular fascination with deterioration. His photographs demonstrate remarkable range, from Berlin graffiti to the Brodten Shore and the ceiling of St. Mary's Church.
With this Königstraße exhibition, Radbruch aims to show that he is more than just 'the Lübeck photographer.' While he may be retiring from active photography, he still has many ideas, comparing them to 'a garden with a tree where overripe plums hang.' The exhibition will remain open through Christmas, offering visitors a chance to experience the full breadth of a photographer's journey from local documentation to international historical witness.
The exhibition opens November 13 at 6 PM at the pop-up studio located at Königstraße/corner of Dr. Julius-Leber-Straße, where Radbruch's photographs will be displayed until Christmas.
