Renowned photographer couple Ute and Werner Mahler will provide insights into their artistic work in Neubrandenburg as part of an exhibition showcasing daily life in East Germany. The event is connected to a comprehensive exhibition titled "Der große Schwof. Feste feiern im Osten" (The Great Dance. Celebrating Festivals in the East), which explores the vibrant cultural life that existed behind the Iron Curtain.
The couple's artistic journey began through Ludwig Schirmer, one of East Germany's most important advertising photographers. Schirmer, who had a daughter named Ute born in 1949, employed Werner Mahler as his assistant in the early 1970s. What started as a professional relationship between Ute and Werner eventually blossomed into romance, then marriage, and today the pair are recognized as pioneers of East German photography art.
Curator Petra Göllnitz will conduct an artist conversation with the Mahlers on Saturday, August 16, starting at 3:00 PM at the Neubrandenburg Art Collection, located at Große Wollweberstraße 24. The discussion, titled "Ute, Werner and I," will focus on their photographic works that are featured as part of the current exhibition. Registration is requested via email through kunstsammlungneubrandenburg.de or by calling 03955551290.
One of Werner Mahler's notable works includes a photo series called "Berka," named after a district of Sondershausen in northern Thuringia. This series, created in his wife's hometown during 1977-78, captures intimate scenes of daily life in East Germany and demonstrates the couple's ability to document authentic moments in socialist society.
The main exhibition runs until September 7 and presents Eastern Germany's everyday culture in all its vibrancy, color, and diversity. The comprehensive show brings together works by photographers who were among the most talented and well-known artists working in East Germany, offering visitors a unique glimpse into the social and cultural fabric of life in the former socialist state.
