An den Strömen
In the exhibition by Ute Mahler & Werner Mahler we present two new series. The European project
»An den Strömen / At the streams« from 2019-2020 and the fashion series »Auf dem Land. Am
Fluss / On the country. At the rivers.«, 2019-2010 which was realized in July 2020 on behalf of the
FAZ magazine. The two photographers have been working under joint authorship since 2009. Both
groups of works were taken with the large format camera.
AN DEN STRÖMEN (AT THE SREAMS)
Rivers and streams reveal social, ecological, political, economic and historical issues. They are an
excellent way for the two artists to create a portrait of Europe. In emotionally powerful and
photographically impressive images, they show life, architecture and portraits along the major
rivers of Europe. The two artists began in 2019 on the Elbe, the Rhine and the Bulgarian Danube.
The Po followed in autumn. In February 2020 they continued their journey to the Volga. Further
rivers are planned: the Rhone, the Loire, the Dnepr and the Tajo/Tejo.
"Each stream flows into the sea. It is this characteristic that defines the waters, some of which are
thousands of kilometres long, to which Ute and Werner Mahler travelled. Streams are natural
phenomena, places of longing, lifelines. Rivers connect and separate, they are transport routes
and borders. And every river in Europe also contains memories of wars and crises. Nevertheless,
no matter where, whether on the Rhine or the Danube, on the Elbe, Volga or Po - people are
drawn to their rivers. It is on the banks that life takes place, rest or diversion, defence and
exchange. Between cultures, religions, families, systems. And even if man has always tried to
impose his will on the rivers, they still flow unwaveringly through their beds." Thomas Winkler,
October 2020
The series can be seen in the exhibition "Continent - "In Search of Europe" by the Ostkreuz
Agency of Photographers at the Academy of Arts.
AUF DEM LAND. AM FLUSS. (ON THE COUNTRY. ON THE RIVER). (fashion series)
" They don't actually do that anymore" was the first reaction of the OSTKREUZ agency to the
request of stylist Almut Vogel, who, after consulting F.A.Z. magazine, dared to ask the
photographer couple for a fashion production anyway. Their daring was rewarded,
because immediately afterwards: "Ute and Werner are interested in the concept after all, they
would like to talk about it in more detail.
A few weeks later the project was implemented. Especially the fact that the Mahlers had received
a "Carte Blache" from the FAZ magazine and were free to make their own decisions, except for the
styling, was a decisive factor for them.
Ute and Werner Mahler had photographed until the end for the »Sibylle«, the legendary women's
magazine from East Germany, which was discontinued in 1995. Why the long break from fashion
photography? "We had great freedom and the right to have a say in the Sibylle. Photographers
were commisioned because of their special visual language. After the magazine was
discontinued, we did not see this acceptance from other magazines. Apart from that, I was also
somehow finished with fashion photography at that time. I wanted to finally do reportage, both at
the same time with the same intensity would not have worked for me", says Ute Mahler.
Three days were photographed in the small town Werben,- a lot of time for a fashion shoot these
days. The Mahlers have a lot in common with Werben on the Elbe, located in Saxony-Anhalt and
the smallest Hanseatic city in the world: "We have known Werben since the mid-1980s because a
friend there saved a decaying farm, because we celebrated parties there and because we had
fallen in love with the landscape.
The cast is no less familiar; it is made up of seven girls and three boys. They are all not
professional models, but young people from the family and circle of friends.
The intention was not to tell a linear story, no plot line, but rather the photographers played with the
idea of a family celebration. A celebration from which the young people and children abseil, roam
the village and fields, go swimming, pass the time. It was important to the photographers that it felt
like a family, not like teenagers flirting. We find small townWGR in the pictures, monalises and also
the streams (excerpts from Gillian Henn, September 2020)
In September 2020 the fashion edition of the magazine was published, which is the most important
publication date in the fashion business and marks the start of the season. The story extends over
13 pages, with 22 black and white photographs. At the beginning of October, the book to the series
entitled " Fritz Ennie Paul Milla Marlene Oskar Annea Leni Fay & Flora" was published in an edition
of 100 copies. The books are signed and numbered.
»An den Strömen / At the streams« from 2019-2020 and the fashion series »Auf dem Land. Am
Fluss / On the country. At the rivers.«, 2019-2010 which was realized in July 2020 on behalf of the
FAZ magazine. The two photographers have been working under joint authorship since 2009. Both
groups of works were taken with the large format camera.
AN DEN STRÖMEN (AT THE SREAMS)
Rivers and streams reveal social, ecological, political, economic and historical issues. They are an
excellent way for the two artists to create a portrait of Europe. In emotionally powerful and
photographically impressive images, they show life, architecture and portraits along the major
rivers of Europe. The two artists began in 2019 on the Elbe, the Rhine and the Bulgarian Danube.
The Po followed in autumn. In February 2020 they continued their journey to the Volga. Further
rivers are planned: the Rhone, the Loire, the Dnepr and the Tajo/Tejo.
"Each stream flows into the sea. It is this characteristic that defines the waters, some of which are
thousands of kilometres long, to which Ute and Werner Mahler travelled. Streams are natural
phenomena, places of longing, lifelines. Rivers connect and separate, they are transport routes
and borders. And every river in Europe also contains memories of wars and crises. Nevertheless,
no matter where, whether on the Rhine or the Danube, on the Elbe, Volga or Po - people are
drawn to their rivers. It is on the banks that life takes place, rest or diversion, defence and
exchange. Between cultures, religions, families, systems. And even if man has always tried to
impose his will on the rivers, they still flow unwaveringly through their beds." Thomas Winkler,
October 2020
The series can be seen in the exhibition "Continent - "In Search of Europe" by the Ostkreuz
Agency of Photographers at the Academy of Arts.
AUF DEM LAND. AM FLUSS. (ON THE COUNTRY. ON THE RIVER). (fashion series)
" They don't actually do that anymore" was the first reaction of the OSTKREUZ agency to the
request of stylist Almut Vogel, who, after consulting F.A.Z. magazine, dared to ask the
photographer couple for a fashion production anyway. Their daring was rewarded,
because immediately afterwards: "Ute and Werner are interested in the concept after all, they
would like to talk about it in more detail.
A few weeks later the project was implemented. Especially the fact that the Mahlers had received
a "Carte Blache" from the FAZ magazine and were free to make their own decisions, except for the
styling, was a decisive factor for them.
Ute and Werner Mahler had photographed until the end for the »Sibylle«, the legendary women's
magazine from East Germany, which was discontinued in 1995. Why the long break from fashion
photography? "We had great freedom and the right to have a say in the Sibylle. Photographers
were commisioned because of their special visual language. After the magazine was
discontinued, we did not see this acceptance from other magazines. Apart from that, I was also
somehow finished with fashion photography at that time. I wanted to finally do reportage, both at
the same time with the same intensity would not have worked for me", says Ute Mahler.
Three days were photographed in the small town Werben,- a lot of time for a fashion shoot these
days. The Mahlers have a lot in common with Werben on the Elbe, located in Saxony-Anhalt and
the smallest Hanseatic city in the world: "We have known Werben since the mid-1980s because a
friend there saved a decaying farm, because we celebrated parties there and because we had
fallen in love with the landscape.
The cast is no less familiar; it is made up of seven girls and three boys. They are all not
professional models, but young people from the family and circle of friends.
The intention was not to tell a linear story, no plot line, but rather the photographers played with the
idea of a family celebration. A celebration from which the young people and children abseil, roam
the village and fields, go swimming, pass the time. It was important to the photographers that it felt
like a family, not like teenagers flirting. We find small townWGR in the pictures, monalises and also
the streams (excerpts from Gillian Henn, September 2020)
In September 2020 the fashion edition of the magazine was published, which is the most important
publication date in the fashion business and marks the start of the season. The story extends over
13 pages, with 22 black and white photographs. At the beginning of October, the book to the series
entitled " Fritz Ennie Paul Milla Marlene Oskar Annea Leni Fay & Flora" was published in an edition
of 100 copies. The books are signed and numbered.