Symposium – Im Angesicht des Wandels. Ost | Porträt | Fotografie

Symposium of the German Society for Photography in cooperation with the Kunstmuseum Moritzburg Halle (Saale) on the occasion of the Helga Paris exhibition

On the occasion of the exhibition “Helga Paris. Houses and Faces. Halle 1983–85” and as a continuation of the first two symposia on East German photography (“Long Time, No See” in 2022 and “Preserving Heritage to Shape the Future” in 2024), the ’89+ Group of the German Society for Photography once again invites you to a symposium, this time dedicated to the portrait in the context of East Germany—in the past, present, and future. The term “portrait” is interpreted broadly in this context, encompassing portraits of relevant figures, current issues, and historical developments.

The four panels, featuring high-caliber speakers, will address portraiture in the late GDR, the influence of mediators, current artistic positions, and the photobook. In the opening lecture, Inka Schube (Sprengel Museum Hannover) will speak on “The Poetics of Resistance. Helga Paris’s Images: Between the Promise of Reality and Imagination.” The symposium is open to people of all generations and backgrounds who are interested in the topic, including artists and photographers, practitioners in the field, and scholars who are or have been active in academia, journalism, or curatorial work.

The symposium aims to bring together diverse perspectives: artistic, photographic, art-historical, theoretical, and contemporary practical approaches.

The event is sponsored by the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany. 

PROGRAM

Thu, June 25, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
Opening keynote lecture followed by a reception at the Kunstmuseum Moritzburg in Halle (Saale) | no registration required

Fri, June 26, 2026, 9 a.m. to approx. 6:30 p.m.
Main symposium session at the Leopoldina National Academy of Sciences in Halle (Saale) | Registration required

Fri, June 26, 2026, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Closing party hosted by the Helle Kammer Association, Café Manzul | No registration required

REGISTRATION

Attendance at the opening lecture on June 25 and the closing party on June 26 does not require registration. Registration is required for the main part of the symposium on June 26, 2026. Please use the DGPh registration form:

Program and registration at www.dgph.de

• Further information on the exhibition “Helga Paris. Houses and Faces. Halle 1983–85”