Today I went to see the special exhibition of one hundred of Steve McCurry´s photographs from around the world at Vienna´s Semper Depot. This exhibition had previously hung in Graz, Styria, and I had missed it there, so was really pleased that they decided to show it in Vienna as well.
Steve McCurry is one of the most iconic photographers and photo journalists of our time. His work has captured the world’s attention with its stunning visuals and powerful storytelling.
The most celebrated image of course is “Afghan Girl,” a portrait of Sharbat Gula, captured within a refugee camp in Pakistan. Featured on the cover of National Geographic in 1985, this photograph holds the distinction of being the most widely published image of a private individual worldwide.
This unique presentation method consists of backlit, large-format photographs ranging from 2 x 3 meters to 4 x 6 meters. The images are of course visually captivating, perfect compositions, rich and striking colour canvases that overwhelm with their sheer beauty. But they also capture our minds and imagination, some are picturesque, while others are profoundly disconcerting – such as a tear-streaked little boy pointing a gun at his own head. McCurry´s portraits, especially, ensnare the viewer through the subject´s gaze. Eyes follow the spectator around – such as the startling green eyes of the famous Afghan woman. Encompassing cultures, traditions, and contemporary life from around the world, McCurry’s portfolio retains an enduring human element, even in all its perfection.
McCurry’s work has been published in major magazines and newspapers around the world. He has won numerous awards for his photography, including the Robert Capa Gold Medal and the World Press Photo Award. He has been a Magnum photographer since 1986, which for him also means paying attention to the authenticity of the images and the dignity of the people.
So, as I expected, this exhibition is an eye-ful, and the Semper Depot is also worth a visit for its own sake, with its industrial style iron columns and interior balconies. Constructed between 1874 and 1877, the depot originally served as a production hub and storage facility for theater decorations and sets for the Semper Opera and the Burgtheater. Following the departure of the theater workshops in 1952, the depot remained vacant and unused for decades and the structure faced the imminent threat of collapse. It was during this period that the Technical University of Vienna took charge of the premises, envisioning it as a site for expansion projects, even at one point planning the demolition of the backdrop depot. However, the Federal Monuments Office opposed the demolition proposal, citing the object’s significance in architectural history, and eventually the depot was entrusted to the Academy of Fine Arts and now serves as the academy’s studio house, but is also utilized as an event location.
Where:
Semperdepot, Lehárgasse 8, 1060 Vienna
When:
July 7 to September 24, 2023
P.S. if you purchase tickets with a time slot in advance, you get a slight discount over the door price.
And as they say on the website, among all visitors the Leica Store raffles off a Leica SL2 + Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 1:2.8/24-70 ASPH” that Steve McCurry uses to take photos with – hmmm, if only I were that lucky!
EXHIBITION PHOTOS © KARIN SVADLENAK-GOMEZ
ViennaCultgram 
I’m getting goosebumps when looking at these photos. Most of them harbor tragic stories… 😦
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Yes, pretty hard to look at, some of it. Thank you for looking though, Tanja.
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