Elina Brotherus / Angelika Platen

Double lives – reflections and facets of artistic identities

21.02. – 19.04.2026

Angelika Platen

Jumps of joy and other encounters

20.02. – 29.03.2026

halle267 – municipal gallery braunschweig

Opening (halle267)
Angelika Platen. Leaps of Joy and Other Encounters

Thursday, February 19, 2026 | 7 p.m.
Location: halle267 – municipal gallery braunschweig

Opening address
Prof. Dr. Anja Hesse, Head of the Department for Culture and Science of the City of Braunschweig

Preface
Barbara Hofmann-Johnson, Director, Museum of Photography Braunschweig and curator of the exhibition

Music
Karle Bardowicks (Tenor sax) and Elmar Vibrans (Piano)

The exhibition offers an important insight into the work of Angelika Platen and also highlights connections to artists who are linked to Braunschweig and the region through the Braunschweig University of Art or through their artistic work. A selection of her work, with a focus on individual portraits, presents Angelika Platen's extensive oeuvre, now spanning five decades.

The exhibition is a collaboration between halle267 – städtische galerie braunschweig and the Museum für Photographie Braunschweig.

Opening
Elina Brotherus / Angelika Platen. Double Lives – Reflections and Facets of Artistic Identities

Friday, September 20.02.2026th, 19 | XNUMX:XNUMX p.m
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig

Opening address
Prof. Dr. Anja Hesse, Head of the Department for Culture and Science of the City of Braunschweig
Axel Grüner, Board of Directors, Museum of Photography Braunschweig eV

Preface
Barbara Hofmann-Johnson, Director, Museum of Photography Braunschweig and curator of the exhibition

In a dialogical double exhibition, the Museum für Photographie Braunschweig presents the photographic artistic works of Elina Brotherus (*1972 in Helsinki, Finland, lives and works in Helsinki and Avallon, France) and Angelika Platen (*1942 in Heidelberg, lives in Berlin and southern France).

The two artists engage with the theme of portraiture in different ways, focusing on aspects of the individuality of artists and their works, on art and identity, and on art and society. While Angelika Platen can be considered an important chronicler of images and portrait photographer of the development of contemporary art since the late 1960s, Elina Brotherus dedicates herself to the theme of portraiture and the exploration of artistic identities through metaphorically subtle self-presentations. Iconic imagery, representative moments, and the interconnectedness of artistic works appear transformed into associative images.

The exhibition is a collaboration between halle267 – städtische galerie braunschweig and the Museum für Photographie Braunschweig.

Artist talk
The artists are present 1

Saturday, March 21.02.2026th, 12, XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig

Together with Elina Brotherus and Angelika Platen, museum director and curator Barbara Hofmann-Johnson leads a tour through the exhibition " Elina Brotherus / Angelika Platen. Double Lives – Reflections and Facets of Artistic Identities ." The artists offer insights into their working methods and conceptual explorations.

Artist Talk (halle267)
The artists are present 2

Saturday, March 21.02.2026th, 15, XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.
Location: halle267 – municipal gallery braunschweig

Following the exhibition tour/artist talk at the Museum of Photography Braunschweig, curator Barbara Hofmann-Johnson will lead a dialogue with Angelika Platen through her solo exhibition "Angelika Platen. Leaps of Joy and Other Encounters" at halle267.

HAPPY THURSDAY

Thursday, August 05.03.2026, 13, 20 p.m. - XNUMX p.m
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig

Every first Thursday of the month, the current exhibition can be visited free of charge and with extended opening hours until 20 pm. A free guided tour with the museum team also takes place at 18 pm.

Children's workshop: Self-portrait

Saturday, July 07.03.2026th, 15, 16.30 a.m. - XNUMX p.m
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig
with Daphne Schüttkemper

This children's workshop aims to foster a creative exploration of the theme of self-portraiture. Artistic self-representation became an important subject in photography from 1839 onwards. Since then, photographers have used their cameras to discover their own personalities. The workshop will explore possibilities for self-staging, helping participants discover how to portray themselves through the camera.

"Female artists see female artists"
Guided tour on International Women's Day

Sunday, 08.03.2026
12 noon: halle267 – municipal gallery braunschweig
15 p.m.: Museum of Photography Braunschweig

with Christin Müller, freelance curator and author, Leipzig

In photographic portraiture, staging and self-presentation play a special role. What characterizes Angelika Platen's perspective on other artists? How do the subjects wish to be seen? How does Elina Brotherus relate to other artists through her performative photographs? And more generally: What characterizes the unique situation of the photographic portrait? These and other questions will be explored in the two guided tours with Christin Müller.

Christin Müller is a freelance curator and writer specializing in photography. Her most recent exhibitions include *It's the 21st Century that Expects Everything from You* (HAUNT Berlin, 2025), *Images of the Present: 30 Years of Documentary Photography, Wüstenrot Foundation Grants* (Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, 2023/2024), *Sophie Thun – Trails and Tributes* (Kunstverein Hildesheim, 2022), and *Pants Are Wearing Skirts: Erfurt Women Artists' Group 1984–1994* (nGbK Berlin, 2021/2022). She teaches regularly at the Institute of Art History at the University of Leipzig and writes for journals and exhibition catalogs.

“Art and its Minds” (Municipal Gallery Wolfsburg)

Works from the collection of the Wolfsburg Municipal Gallery in dialogue with Angelika Platen's portraits of the respective artists:

Saturday, April 14.03.2026, 15 | XNUMX p.m.
Location: Wolfsburg Municipal Gallery

with Marcus Körber, Director, Städtische Galerie Wolfsburg and Barbara Hofmann-Johnson, Director, Museum für Photographie Braunschweig

Since its founding in 1974, the Wolfsburg Municipal Gallery has built up an exceptional collection, including works by Gerhard Richter, Joseph Beuys, and Konrad Klapheck. In a dialogical event, connections will be drawn between the collection's holdings, currently on display in a collection presentation in Wolfsburg, and photographs by Angelika Platen, which the Museum of Photography, in cooperation with halle267, is currently showing at two locations in Braunschweig.

The collection of the Wolfsburg Municipal Gallery developed (and expanded) at a time when Angelika Platen also began her career as a portrait photographer of the artistic avant-garde. Important acquisitions by the Municipal Gallery, in dialogue with Angelika Platen's early portraits, uniquely depict art since the late 1960s and "its faces." Viewed together, they broaden our understanding of the art scene of those years.

Finally, the event will also draw a connection between Candida Höfer's collection images and the artist Elina Brotherus, who is also currently exhibiting at the Museum für Photographie Braunschweig, and will present her special edition developed for the museum in the Alvar Aalto-Kulturhaus in Wolfsburg.

Please register at: info [at] photomuseum.de

Curator-led tour (halle267)

Sunday, March 15, 2026 | 12 noon
Location: halle267 – municipal gallery braunschweig

Barbara Hofmann-Johnson will guide visitors through the exhibition she curated, “Angelika Platen. Leaps of Joy and Other Encounters. Portraits of Artists from Five Decades,” at halle267. The exhibition is a collaborative project between the Museum of Photography Braunschweig and halle267 and introduces us to the vibrant work of the portrait photographer and chronicler of images.

Children's workshop: Self-portrait (halle267)

Saturday, July 21.03.2026th, 15, 16.30 a.m. - XNUMX p.m
Location: halle267 – municipal gallery braunschweig
with Pauline Behrmann

This children's workshop aims to foster a creative exploration of the theme of self-portraiture. Artistic self-representation became an important subject in photography from 1839 onwards. Since then, photographers have used their cameras to discover their own personalities. The workshop will explore possibilities for self-staging, helping participants discover how to portray themselves through the camera.

Information and registration: vermittlung [at] photomuseum.de

Family management

Friday, September 27.03.2026th, 15 | XNUMX:XNUMX p.m
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig

with Pauline Behrmann, Research Associate, Museum of Photography Braunschweig

Using simple language and focusing on topics relevant to a young audience, Pauline Behrmann, educational staff member at the Museum of Photography, will guide visitors through the exhibition. Everyone is welcome!

Artist Talk (halle267)
"To form one's own (artistic) image"

Sunday, March 15, 2026 | 15 noon
Location: halle267 – municipal gallery braunschweig

with Angelika Platen and Dr. Elke Backes, cultural journalist

At the closing event of the exhibition “Angelika Platen. Leaps of Joy and Other Encounters” at halle267 – municipal gallery braunschweig, Dr. Elke Backes will lead an artist talk with Angelika Platen. The renowned cultural journalist visited the photographer in her studio in September 2025 and wrote about it on her blog elkebackes-artdialog.com. She now revisits this encounter in the context of the exhibition.

Note/Program change: Due to illness, the originally planned artist talk will be replaced by a guided tour of the exhibition with Dr. Elke Backes, cultural journalist, and Barbara Hofmann-Johnson, director of the Museum of Photography. We send Angelika Platen our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

FiBS Children's Workshop

Wednesday, January 01.04.2026, 10.30, 13.30-XNUMX p.m
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig
with Pauline Behrmann

The FiBS children's workshop offers a creative exploration of self-portraiture. Participants will discover ways to present themselves in front of and with the camera. Elina Brotherus's self-portraits, taken in unusual contexts and using various attributes, serve as inspiration. Spaces are still available!

Information and registration: vermittlung [at] photomuseum.de
or about that FiBS Portal

HAPPY THURSDAY

Thursday, August 02.04.2026, 13, 20 p.m. - XNUMX p.m
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig

Every first Thursday of the month, the current exhibition can be visited free of charge and with extended opening hours until 20 pm. A free guided tour with the museum team also takes place at 18 pm.

“Alvar Aalto revisited”

Saturday, April 11.04.2026, 15 | XNUMX p.m.
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig

with Elina Brotherus, Bettina Maria Brosowsky, architect and cultural journalist, and Barbara Hofmann-Johnson, director, Museum of Photography Braunschweig

Artist talk

Finnish architect Alvar Aalto (1889–1976) is considered the patriarch of Nordic architectural culture. Elina Brotherus has repeatedly explored Aalto's buildings in Finland, France, Estonia, and most recently in Wolfsburg. Through her physical presence, she inscribes traces of human existence into the traditionally people-free world of architectural photography. What is it about Aalto's architecture that fascinates the photographer? Architect and cultural journalist Bettina Maria Brosowsky explores this question in conversation with the artist.

Book presentation

As part of the event “Alvar Aalto revisited”, the new publication Aalto and Nature (Birkhäuser Verlag, May 2026) will be presented in a preview .

The English-language publication, edited by Tom Simons and Rainer Knapas, explores the role of nature in Alvar Aalto's work. Four photo essays by Elina Brotherus within the new publication address this multifaceted relationship to nature in the artist's characteristically individual staging practice.

It is possible to purchase the publication and have it signed by Elina Brotherus. (Price: €48)

Presentation of the special editions

Furthermore, we are presenting new editions by Elina Brotherus, published to coincide with the current exhibition "Elina Brotherus / Angelika Platen. Double Life," which focus on the Alvar Aalto Cultural Center in Wolfsburg. (Price: €650 each / 10% discount for members, further information available )

Save the date: On April 25, Bettina Maria Brosowsky, Chairwoman of the Alvar Aalto Centre, will give a guided tour of the Alvar Aalto Cultural Centre following the exhibition (see below).

Booksigning

with Andrzej Steinbach

Sat, 18.04.2026 | 15 pm

The publication for our exhibition “Andrzej Steinbach. Here” with stops in Braunschweig (September 27 – November 30, 2025), Erfurt (December 14, 2025 – February 22, 2026) and Amsterdam (opening October 24, 2026) has arrived!

It will be presented this Saturday at the Museum of Photography. There will be an opportunity to have it signed by Andrzej Steinbach.

Exhibition tour for the closing event

Sunday, March 15, 2026 | 16 noon
Location: Museum of Photography Braunschweig

with Barbara Hofmann-Johnson, Director, Museum of Photography Braunschweig, and Curator of the Exhibition

To conclude the exhibition Elina Brotherus / Angelika Platen. Double Lives – Reflections and Facets of Artistic Identities, museum director and curator Barbara Hofmann-Johnson will present the artists' works in a guided tour.

On-site meeting
Alvar Aalto Cultural Center, Wolfsburg

Saturday, April 25.04.2026, 15 | XNUMX p.m.
Meeting point: Entrance area of ​​the Alvar Aalto Cultural Center
Porschestrasse 51, 38440 Wolfsburg

with Bettina Maria Brosowsky, architect and cultural journalist

Alvar Aalto designed six buildings in Germany starting in the 1960s, three of which are in Wolfsburg. The cultural center, originally built to house the city library, adult education center, and youth center, was conceived as a modern agora under a single, large roof. A site visit with Bettina Maria Brosowsky, architect, author, and chairwoman of the Alvar Aalto Center Germany e.V. Wolfsburg; followed by coffee in the Aalto Bistro.

Registration: info [at] photomuseum.de