photo exhibition "Stillstand"
Preview: 14. January 2023, 20 Uhr
Galerie Nieser, Große Falterstraße 31/3, 70597 Stuttgart (Germany)
From 14 January to 3 February 2023, the Norbert Nieser Gallery is showing the photo series Stillstand by Stuttgart photographer Bettina Meister.
From October 2021, a Ferris wheel stood on Stuttgart's Schlossplatz for three months as a "substitute" for the cancelled Volksfest and as a sign for the cultural sector, which has been at a standstill since 2020 due to covid. For Bettina Meister, a beautiful and at the same time sad sign, because as a photographer for concerts and events, she was directly affected. Shortly before the Ferris wheel was erected, events were allowed to take place again under strict conditions, but on 1 November 2021 there was another standstill.
During a city walk on the heights of Stuttgart's west, which the photographer happened to take on the first day of the Giant Ferris Wheel's commissioning, she was struck by a very special moment. The moment when the centre of the city was already bleakly dark in the twilight. Only the Ferris wheel shone colourfully and brightly in the city. At that moment it seemed oversized. It dominated the darkness, rising like a memorial and at the same time like a sign of hope. As if to say: "Look here! I shine for you and bring joy back into your lives."
This gave Bettina Meister the idea to photographically capture this sign of hope for the industry, from as many known vantage points on the city as possible that are accessible to the public at all times. From east and west, from south and north. The result is a unique series of Giant Ferris Wheel city views from 18 locations between 6 October and 13 November 2021, always photographed at the golden and blue hour in the evening. Sometimes from further away, sometimes from very close up. With the exception of two close-up views, always from an elevated location - at a standstill. With the gondolas stationary, deliberately without movement. Because the event industry had to stand still for a long time. And the photographer wanted to capture this standstill.
If you look carefully at the 18 locations and know Stuttgart, you will notice that a few popular vantage points are missing: the Teehaus/Bopser, the Karlshöhe and the Uhlandshöhe. There, trees obscure the Ferris wheel, so no photo was possible.
The 18 views increase from far to near, the "height" point is the Ferris wheel. The view shows the city photographed from the Ferris wheel from above. And it does so in such a way that the viewer feels as if he or she is sitting in the Ferris wheel looking down on the city. This image is meant to symbolise how the culture and events sector can help us to create highlights. Highlights that we should not do without, as they give us wonderful views. And how fitting the inscription on the "Cube" Kunstmuseum Stuttgart seemed at the same time: "Now or never".
The pictures were taken at the following viewpoints:
- Santiago-de-Chile-Platz
- Birkenkopf
- Zeppelinstreet
- Bismarcktower
- Birkenwaldstreet/Hermann-Kurz-Street
- Budapester Platz/Milaneo
- Birkenwaldstreet/Im Kaisemer/Züblin
- Chinesischer Garten
- Panoramastreet/Relenbergstreet
- Heinrich-Heine-Höhe/Villa Reitzenstein
- Emil-Molt-Staffel/Haußmannstreet
- Eugensplatz
- Konrad-Adenauer-Straße/Stadtpalais/Kulturmeile
- Dorotheenstraße/Stauffenberg-Platz/Altes Schloss
- Pulitzweg/Landtag
- Kleiner Schlossplatz
- Schlossplatz/Pavillon
- Ferris Wheel at Schlossplatz
Vernissage: 14 January 2023, 8 pm
Photo exhibition Stillstand - Gallery Nieser, Große Falterstraße 31/3, 70597 Stuttgart, Germany
www.galerie-nieser.de
The series can also be seen on the website of photographer Bettina Meister: bettinameister.com/reportage-fotografie/stillstand-riesenrad
