Richard Thieler: Kino

Richard Thieler has been photographing cinemas everywhere where he happens to be since 2009--exclusively from the exterior. His is not only fascinated by the architecture of the movie theater but by all facets of this phenomenon. In the exhibition we thus do not encounter a systematic documentation of an architectural shell but instead buildings that are part of our everyday lives, whether open or closed, decrepit or remodeled, reused or empty.

Date :

09.04.2016 until 12.06.2016

The movie theaters and open-air cinemas that we encounter here in the exhibition tell us a great deal about our relationship to the place where movies are shown.

We simultaneously encounter the economic situation that has accompanied cinema throughout the 20th century: rise, crisis, and recovery. Regardless whether large multiplexes or small art-house theaters, regardless whether in a large city or in the country, cinemas are important social gathering places. Whether we go there anonymously, as a couple, or as a group, we all recall the racketing of the film reels and the introduction of Dolby Surround Sound, for which we suddenly had to dig a little deeper into our pockets. We all have sat in cinemas that now no longer exist. We look to the future curiously wondering whether all the digitalization that has taken place will keeping people streaming into cinemas or cause them to stay at home and make themselves comfortable on the sofa with digital devices such as beamers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Thieler waits for dusk and evening, waits until the cinema has opened its doors, positioning himself to be able to photograph the building and its surroundings. He does not change the scene on-site in any way. He waits patiently for the right light, for the people who have just arrived, for those who have agreed to meet there, and those just buying their tickets. They are not part of a staged scenario but belong to a random situation captured by the photographer.

(Sigrid Melchior, Art Historian)