Brodmann worldwide, part two of the exhibition
Last Sunday, I purchased the combination ticket. After experiencing “Brodmann in Braunschweig” at the Museum Hinter Aegidien, the second part of the event is now on my agenda, a week later. When I arrive at the museum, somewhat frozen due to the weather, a line has formed in front of the ticket counter. Although I already have a ticket, I join the line. I want to participate in the guided tour. Looking at the crowd, I already suspect that the afternoon might unfold somewhat differently than I had hoped.
Tense nerves at the ticket counter
The atmosphere at the Municipal Museum seems a bit tense that day. At first, I can’t tell why. Gradually, I piece together the situation from my observations. On the one hand, it seems they are surprised by the interest in the guided tour, as there are no more lockers for bags. On the other hand, a discussion suddenly breaks out at the ticket counter, which is making the waiting people nervous because the tour is supposed to start in three minutes, and things aren’t progressing. What happened? Uwe Brodmann, the namesake of the exhibition, is in a discussion with the cashier. From the snippets of conversation I catch, it seems they are discussing a discount for members of the photography museum. After some back and forth and nervous shuffling among the waiting crowd, things finally move forward.
Unfriendly attitude from the staff
Finally, my ticket is stamped. However, on the way to the exhibition, I, along with other guests, am rather curtly instructed to hang my coat in the cloakroom and leave my bag at the counter (since the lockers are full). Since both my house keys and wallet are in my bag, I don’t feel too comfortable with this. I also realize that I am getting annoyed by the tense atmosphere. When I see how large the group is and learn that Brodmann has to lead the tour on his own today, I’ve had enough.
But it doesn’t matter; I’m already here. So I try to make the best of it.
The group quickly breaks apart
The whole group (I estimate about thirty people) heads up to the second floor. It quickly becomes clear that the attention span will be very short with so many people, especially since Brodmann is hard to hear at times. So, it’s not surprising when the first guests soon peel off from the group.
Following Brodmann’s explanations, I quickly realize that it’s an advantage to have already seen the first part of the exhibition. Some details of his work are already familiar to me or are easier to place now. “Brodmann International” is explained through his 20 years of work as a photographer for the Bühler company and MIAG (which was later acquired by Bühler). For the company, which sells and builds large plants worldwide, Brodmann traveled extensively abroad. During these trips, he had the opportunity to take a few private snapshots, which are now on display here. But even on personal trips, the photographer captured his experiences.
Two Gypsies in Greece
Brodmann stops in front of a picture from Greece. His attention is drawn to the title, which speaks of two girls. Indeed, he notes with a smile, the image depicts two gypsies. However, he adds, it’s no longer acceptable to use this term.
The next photos take us to Tallinn, St. Petersburg (then Leningrad), Crete, and the Corinth Canal. The pictures, he reveals, were taken with a camera of Russian origin. I remember seeing a similar camera – was it called Horizont? – last Sunday. He had purchased the device in Warsaw for 90 DM, exchanged for black-market currency. Then, the artist interestingly mentions that the selection of displayed photos seems arbitrary. So, it seems he might not have had much say in the matter. Moreover, it sounds like he wasn’t entirely happy with the choice.
Plastic has always been an issue
Next, he stops in front of a picture he took in Mallorca. He tells us what isn’t visible in the picture. Namely, that the bay was already, 35 years ago, covered in plastic waste. From the Balearic island, we move on to Down Under. The photo shows a house, more like a hut, located directly by the railroad tracks. Brodmann tells us that at the time – also a work trip – it took him 44 hours to get to Australia. And that was just for three days. After photographing the cement plant, he returned. His comment on the photo: “The Aborigines are truly underprivileged.”
A farewell to VW?
I didn’t quite understand the selection of the next images. They show works from Braunschweig museums, either exhibiting pieces or simply showing rooms before renovations. There are also photos from museums in New York and Detroit.
Finally, he stops in front of a photograph of the Volkswagen power plant in Wolfsburg. The image is made up of three separate pictures and has been edited with Photoshop. The program has “swallowed” two chimneys. Brodmann’s comment: “Is this a nod to Feininger, or is it a farewell to the current situation at VW?”
Centenarians on the beach
Another anecdote from Brodmann’s creative period takes us to Normandy. The photographer tells the story of a vacation mishap in Brittany, which led the couple to Normandy, where they stumbled upon a veteran’s meeting. One of the participants gave Brodmann a tie. A psychologist had wanted to buy the picture for his practice. When Brodmann asked why, the psychologist explained that more and more elderly men with war experiences were coming to his sessions.
We are almost through the exhibition. I detach from the ever-decreasing group and take a little more time to wander through the rows of pictures on my own. I notice the photographs of the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Palma de Mallorca, the Trocadéro in Paris, children playing in Mombasa, and a mortuary temple in Egypt.
Now, I am thoroughly informed about Brodmann’s oeuvre. On my way out, I catch a first glimpse of the next exhibition at the Municipal Museum, opening on January 28. In the large hall, several Steinway grand pianos are already set up for the exhibit “People & Pianos.”
