“True Pictures?” at the Sprengel Museum in Hannover

It’s always a joy to attend art exhibitions. So the day I learned there’s a new photography exhibition at the Sprengel Museum in Hannover, I knew I had to see it. The title made it even more intriguing: “True Pictures?“. I can’t really tell if it was the question mark at the title’s end that fascinated me even more. But I knew I had to visit Hannover and find out what this exhibition was all about.

On the train from Berlin to Hannover, I asked myself why I wanted to see this exhibition. Apart from my interest in the medium, photography largely influenced our comprehension of the 20th century. Sometimes, I thought, we don’t even own our memories. Instead of thinking about our experiences, we draw moments from photos we once saw and attach them to our lives. So this weird patchwork -of images taken from others and personal memories- becomes, in a way, an enriched reality. Furthermore, sometimes, when a historic event takes place, it’s through the photos that we can feel our presence at the moment.

All these foggy thoughts disappeared the moment I reached the Hannover Hauptbahnhof. It was a cloudy November afternoon, and the light was dim. It was pretty ironic: for a medium that it’s all about the available light, its absence in the city made the visit to the Sprengel Museum even more riveting. And as I soon figured out, my thoughts on the train were irrelevant to the exhibition’s topic.

So, here’s what I saw at “True Pictures?” at the Sprengel Museum in Hannover.

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“True Pictures?” at the Sprengel Museum, Hannover: a short introduction

While you can’t easily understand what the exhibition is about from the title, the subtitle is enlightening: “Contemporary photography from Canada and the USA.” That said, “True Pictures?” showcases images taken by North American photographers. Specifically, it presents the work of 36 artists working in this geographical region. The focus is not just on famous photographers. Among these 36 artists, you’ll also discover the work of photographers that you probably didn’t hear of before.

The period the “True Pictures?” exhibition explores is also interesting. The historical setting is between 1980 and 2021. That is actually a period when photography in North America abolished its avantgarde role, mainly because of the quick evolution of European photography. However, this by no means translates to a loss of importance. On the contrary, what these artists have in common, apart from the geographic origins and time span, is their presence in the digital age.

That said, the triptych North America, 1980-2021, and digital age offers a broad field of experimentation. The showcased photographers explore a wide array of topics. Themes like social injustice, appropriation, diversity, and sexuality are clearly explored on the museum’s walls.

Last but not least, the exhibition visitor will observe one interesting transition. The newer photographers seem to take some distance from documentary photography and become more interested in staged photography. This shift can be seen as a clear move towards a more artistic approach to the medium.

The artists of the exhibition

The following artists appear in the exhibition. Among them, you will find some of the most famous photographers of our time.

Vikky Alexander

Roy Arden

Walead Beshty

Anne Collier

Gregory Crewdson

Liz Deschenes

Stan Douglas

Latoya Ruby Frazier

Nan Goldin

Rodney Graham

Martine Gutierrez

Anthony Hernandez

Ayana V. Jackson

Owen Kydd

Elad Lassry

Louise Lawler

Deana Lawson

Zoe Leonard

Sherrie Levine

Ken Lum

Meryl McMaster

Trevor Paglen

Richard Prince

Collier Schorr

Allan Sekula

Cindy Sherman

Laurie Simmons

Xaviera Simmons

Taryn Simon

Lorna Simpson

Stephen Waddell

Jeff Wall

Ian Wallace

Carrie Mae Weems

James Welling

Christopher Williams

“True Pictures?”: photos from the exhibition at Sprengel Museum

I spent more than two hours in the exhibition, and I tried to have enough time in front of every photo. The Sprengel Museum gives enough breathing space to the artworks, and it’s a pleasure to walk through its spacious rooms. I tried to shoot some photos to provide you with a better impression of what you can expect from your visit. Here’s a small set presenting both the images and the museum itself.

So, in the first image, you can see two photos by Cindy Sherman. Sherman’s work features herself in fictional narratives. Since the 1980s, Cindy Sherman has worked mainly with color photography.

In the series of the 25 black and white images below, you see workers at the end of their shift. The series, called “Untitled Slide Sequence,” belongs, of course, to Allan Sekula, a photographer known for his documentary work.

The following two images present the work of Rodney Graham. In the first image, you can see a self-portrait of the artist. Despite the self-portrayal, the focus is more on the environment surrounding Graham.

As for the second work of Rodney Graham, the title says it all: “Paradoxical Western Scene.”

One of the most impressive works in the “True Pictures?” exhibition belongs to Ayana V. Jackson. The image offers lots of counternarratives about the depiction of the Black body through history.

The following image is the work of Xaviera Simmons. The photographer explores questions of identity and, specifically, the African-American identity.

In the following picture, you will see three photos by Martine Gutierrez. The photo in the middle is also printed on the exhibition’s tickets and posters. Gutierrez deals with various identity issues, among them femininity and indigeneity.

So, for the last image of this small presentation, I thought of showing a photo by Nan Goldin. As one of the most famous photographers of our era, I thought it was interesting to see the following image. The picture is blurry on purpose. The title is “1st days in quarantine, Brooklyn, NY, 2020”. It’s taken at Goldin’s apartment, where she spent more than a month confined due to the pandemic. The flowers you see are the last flowers that Nan Goldin bought before the lockdowns.

And that’s it with this small set of photos from the “True Pictures?” exhibition. Below you will find a few more photos, practical info about your visit, the easiest way to reach the Sprengel Museum, and where to stay overnight in Hannover.

Exhibition tickets & Opening times of the Sprengel Museum

Tickets

The “True Pictures?” exhibition runs from the 6th of November 2021 until the 13th of February 2022. The tickets cost 7 euros for adults, while the reduced tickets cost 4 euros. If you happen to be in Hannover on a Friday, the entrance is free.

Opening times of the Sprengel Museum

Tuesday 10:00 – 20:00

From Wednesday to Sunday 10:00 – 18:00

The museum is closed on Mondays.

The museum’s official website

You can see more info about the exhibition at the museum’s official website here.

Practical info about your visit

How to reach Hannover and the Sprengel Museum

So, the easiest way to reach Hannover is by train. There are direct connections from most German cities, and the journey is pleasant. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid rush hours. Also, book your train tickets in advance because spontaneity comes at a price in Germany. That said, book your tickets the moment you know the date(s) of your visit. Last but not least, it’s better also to book your seat (it’s not included in the price) because the trains are usually full.

You can book your train tickets with Deutsche Bahn here.

From the Hannover Hauptbahnhof (Hbf), the city’s Central Station, you will have to walk about one and a half kilometers to the museum. However, it’s easy to find it (check the route on Google Maps here), and the first half of your walk will be through the city’s center.

Where to stay in Hannover

The best hotel in Hannover is by far the Grand Hotel Mussmann. Conveniently located straight in front of the train station, the Mussmann offers luxurious rooms at affordable prices. The rooms are very clean and spacious, and there’s also breakfast included. Book your room at Grand Hotel Mussmann here.

“True Pictures?” – Final thoughts

The “True Pictures?” at the Sprengel Museum in Hannover showcases almost 300 photographs. As you can imagine, visiting the exhibition will give you an excellent overview of contemporary North American photography over the last 40 years. Apart from seeing the works of world-famous photographers like Nan Goldin or Jeff Wall, you’ll also discover the work of emerging artists.

I spent a weekend in Hannover, and I still think of the images I saw. If you are into photography and you enjoy short journeys with an art purpose, include a visit to the Sprengel Museum in your travel plans. It will be a rewarding experience -and Hannover is beautiful too.

More art: “Faith” Exhibition, Polaroids by Linda McCartney, Emil Nolde

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Last Updated on December 2, 2022 by George Pavlopoulos