Vernissage of the exhibition "Death and Life

On a winter day, icy cold and in the first morning light,
I took my first photograph thirty years ago.
"target": a shot-up, perforated tin figure,
which stood in arable furrows. This picture was never published,
but it settled in my memory
solid. As a symbol of violence and death.
Herlinde Koelbl, In the Cold Morning Light
This is the start of the photographer, documentary filmmaker and
author Herlinde Koelbl her essay on a project,
which she called "targets". Around the world she photographed
they are the shooting targets of soldiers who learn to be as efficient
as possible, to extinguish life with one shot.
Shredded cardboard comrades, tinny heads,
Plastic body. No gaming, but exercise for the
Emergency. Dress rehearsal for the war. Human figures
as shooting targets. The exhibition shows the opposite as
threatening object in the shape of a human being, to whom every
Individuality is taken away, as is uniformity.
the fullness of their personalities to the uniformed soldiers.
withdraws. In doing so, photos do not evaluate, but
impressively condense image after image.
Herlinde Koelbl thus raises many questions: for instance
about the relationship between power and powerlessness. According to
Ethics and morality of human action in the face of
of killing. After a killing to save life, which is
one's own and that of others. According to the value of a human life,
given by God in his individual
Special feature. This is also reflected in the exhibition
in many portraits, which give one the individuality, dignity
and preciousness of the life given.
Death and life.
Wilhelm Warning