A look back at 2023

Now as I’ve already seen countless looks back to 2023 on social media, I’d like to get involved too.

January

In January two of my exhibitions that started already in 2022 still were on the walls: „Punch“ in the city hall of Gernsbach (thanks a lot to Julian Christ the mayor for having me as a guest in Gernsbach and to everyone who helped organizing the exhibition) and „Manhattan Transfer“ at Galerie für Junge Künstler- und Designerinnen in Berlin-Schöneberg, together with Jörg Rubbert – thanks Jörg and thanks to Brigitte Stamm, the galerist.

February

February 11th I’ve had the fantastic book launch event of „PUNCH – A VISUAL STORY“ by Chumbo at a great place, Cinemateca Portuguesa in Lisbon, Portugal, in partnership with Livraria Linha da Sombra. Thanks a lot to the wonderful Yuri Lopes Pereira, who published the book and who organized this fantastic event.

February is also the month of Berlinale, that I never miss to attend. I’ve seen lots of great movies this year, and only a few that were not so great. To name a few of the good ones: SUZUME, SUR L’ADAMANT (the winner of the Golden Bear), ROTER HIMMEL, 20000 SPECIES OF BEES – and E.T. (which has once been the first film I’ve seen in cinema, and that I’ve now seen at the Berlinale together with my son Julius).

March

In March I’ve celebrated the release of „PUNCH – A VISUAL STORY“ in Berlin-Neukölln at Luisa Catucci Gallery – lots of thanks to Luisa Catucci for this opportunity.
I also opened the exhibition „INTERACTION“ together with painter Hans Peter Friedrich in my old hometown Freiburg at depot.K gallery. Thanks to everyone of depot.K for organizing this and thanks to all the friends who attended the opening!

April

Nine years after my last visit to New York City I came back, together with my family and lots of friends. I showed the city to my son who loved the Empire State Building and hated the taste of chlorine in tap water. I’ve had extensive walks through Brooklyn and Queens, attended a horse race at Aqueduct Racetrack, the Easter Parade at Fifth Avenue, and I’ve met the wonderful artist Juliana Lazzaro again.
Maybe the most beautiful photography event of the year was the book release event of my book „PUNCH“ in Freiburg at BSV boxing gym. Lots of friends and family were there, some fighters – I had lots of fun. Thanks a lot to Jens Galler, Peter Disch and to everyone at the boxing gym for making this a great event!

May

Thanks to Izole Team from Budapest my photobook „PUNCH“ took part at Border_less Book Days in Istanbul on May 4 to 7. A pity I couldn’t be there.

June

In June „Punch“ was part of the Fanzineist Vienna Art Book & Zine Fair.
Also in June I’ve seen lots of great movies at the Jewish Filmfestival Berlin Brandenburg.

July

Thanks to my friend Sascha Nikolajewicz my exhibition „Urban Fever“ opened in Gaiberg, near Heidelberg, with the motto „Wir holen die Welt nach Gaiberg“. Wonderful author and journalist Kristina Hortenbach held a great speech, and there was great music as well.

August

In August my new book „Livin‘ in the hood – New York Street Life“ that I made together with my friend Jörg Rubbert, was released at Kettler Verlag!
On August 26th my exhibition „Punch“ had its opening at Galerie Fototreppe in Hanau. Thanks a lot to Jochen Stenger for a wonderful time in Hanau.

September

In September I was back in Berlin for a group exhibition, „Streets of New York 1979-2023“ together with Andreas Weigelt, Jörg Rubbert and Ingrid Henke. The exhibition took place at Art Stalker in Charlottenburg and was supported by American German Business Club. I showed some of my new New York photos from April this year.
The same month „Punch – A visual story“ received an „Honorable Mention“ at the International Photography Awards. Thanks to Yuri Lopes Pereira for always believing in this book and thanks to Mariana Veloso for the fantastic book design.

October

In October I travelled to Dresden to open the exhibition „No more Fight!“ together with boxing paintings by Siegfried Winderlich – who had passed away only a few weeks before the opening. Small but wonderful gallery kunstgehäuse in Dresden-Neustadt hosted the exhibition, organized by two wonderful guys – Mario Pitz and Ulrich Hübner.

November

German weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT covered my book „PUNCH“ and called it „gripping intense“. What an honour.
On November 10th Dortmund based alternative rock band PORTER released their new single „Tax free hollows“ with my photo as the cover photo. The new album GENOSHA, also with one of my photos on the cover will be released in 2024. Thanks a lot to Markus Sänger from Porter.

December

Another small but wonderful event took place in the beginning of December at Studio Koschmieder in Berlin-Kreuzberg: A group pop-up exhibition in combination with an artist talk together with Jörg Rubbert about our new book „Livin‘ in the hood“. Thanks a lot to Annette Koschmieder!