Alexander Rodchenko revolutionized photography during the 1920s: diagonal compositions, stark contrasts, daring perspectives and the masses of the Russian Revolution - in which he initially believed - are the recurring features of his photographic work. Similar masses of people showed up on Monday at Photography Museum WestLicht for the opening of the retrospective dedicated to Rodchenko's work, entitled Alexander Rodchenko - Revolution in Photography.

With the opening of the exhibition, a heartfelt wish of WestLicht-owner Peter Coeln came true - which is not just because Rodchenko created his masterpieces with a Leica. The Russian avantgarde-artist regarded the Leica as the one and only camera, and, as Peter Coeln said, it almost seems as if it was especially invented for Rodchenko. Thus the retrospective also was an ideal and high-profile launch for the celebrations of the centenary of Leica.

Olga Sviblova, curator of the exhibition, credited in her opening address the pioneering force of Rodchenko's art. Sviblova is director of the Museum Moscow House of Photography, which cares for the tremendous treasure of the Rodchenko archive, home of the about 200 examples on display at WestLicht until 25 August. Hans-Michael Koetzle's introductory talk invited the audience to view the numerous iconic images from the history of photography from a new perspective.

Credits: Dieter Nagl