Name: Opening of the exhibition "Polaroids"
Start: 2025-03-06T19:00:00+01:00
Location: Jebensstraße 2, 10623 Berlin, Germany

We cordially invite you to the upcoming opening of the exhibition "Polaroids" on Thursday, 6 March 2025, 7 - 10 pm.
With works by Helmut Newton, Thorsten Brinkmann, Lucien Clergue, Barbara Crane, Alma Davenport, Toto Frima, Maurizio Galimberti, Luigi Ghirri, Erich Hartmann, Sally Mann, Sheila Metzner, Arnold Newman, Charles Johnstone, Marike Schuurman, Stephen Shore, Jeanloup Sieff, Pola Sieverding, Christer Strömholm, Oliviero Toscani, Ulay, William Wegman, and others.
The Polaroid process revolutionized photography in the 1960s. Those who have used a Polaroid camera often recall the distinctive smell of the developing emulsion, the magic of watching an image materialize instantly, and the unique satisfaction of holding a finished photograph moments after exposure. With the picture in hand immediately after it was taken, users could review their compositions on the spot.
In 1947, Edwin Land, founder of the Polaroid Corporation based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, developed instant photography. Over the decades, Polaroids became essential tools for some photographers as visual studies, while others transformed them into independent works of art. This groundbreaking imaging technology found global appeal across genres – advertising, landscapes, portraits, fashion, and nudes – thriving in both commercial and artistic contexts. With highly diverse works by 60 artists and photographers, this exhibition highlights the medium’s versatility and widespread influence.
The front exhibition rooms are dedicated to Helmut Newton’s Polaroids. Newton enjoyed working with various Polaroid cameras, particularly in preparation for his fashion shoots. He also used instant film backs on his medium format cameras in place of traditional roll film. The framed SX-70 prints and laminated enlargements serve as a photographic sketchbook, inviting visitors to envision Newton’s creative process, from initial concepts to final images.
The main exhibition room presents over 50 Polaroids by contemporary photographers. This diverse and representative selection was curated from the extensive OstLicht collection in Vienna, which holds the European segment of Polaroid’s former corporate archive. Following the US company’s bankruptcy in 2009, thousands of works were saved from auction, preserving this cultural resource as a unified collection.
Visitors will encounter Polaroids in a variety of sizes and techniques, photographic prints based on Polaroids, experimental manipulations of SX-70 surfaces altered during the quick development phase, and large tableaux composed of multiple SX-70 Polaroids forming cohesive works. Serial works and artists’ books in the rear exhibition space complete the survey, showcasing Polaroid’s creative potential across a broad spectrum of themes and genres. Spanning more than 250 works, this exhibition celebrates the enduring appeal of this extraordinary medium.

We look forward to welcoming you.