Grand Opening of the FOTO ARSENAL WIEN
New Light on Old Magic: The Grand Opening of Foto Arsenal Wien
This spring, Vienna welcomes a bold new landmark in the world of photography: Foto Arsenal Wien. More than just a museum or gallery (it does not has its own collection but focuses on exhibiting images), it’s a vibrant, evolving space where the history, craft, and future of photography converge. With its doors officially open, Foto Arsenal promises to become a key cultural hub—not only for aficionados of the photographic arts, but for curious minds of all ages.
Being the photographer of the Foto Arsenal as well as the Foto Wien festival, I had the honour to accompany the opening weekend photographically.
More photos can be found at my Gallery Website.
Here are some impressions of the press conference hours before the opening to the public.
The Contact Sheet as a Map of Thought
Another centerpiece of the opening exhibition is a stunning display of contact sheets from Magnum photographers, each one accompanied by detailed notes and stories. Here, visitors get to peek behind the curtain of some of the most iconic photo series in history.
These contact sheets—raw, unedited rolls of film printed at actual size—offer a rare look at the decision-making process of legendary photographers. Which frame made the final cut, and why? What was overlooked or left behind? In these sheets, we see not only the final image, but the whole world around it: the misfires, the in-betweens, the moments just before or after history was made.
Inside the Mind of a Darkroom Master
To deepen the experience, Foto Arsenal presents a compelling video installation featuring one of Magnum’s darkroom wizards, a master printer whose insights make the technical process come alive. Watching him at work—dodging, burning, finessing tonal contrast with his hands and tools—it becomes clear just how much artistry goes into every photographic print.
He explains, in calm and practiced tones, how a photograph can be transformed in the darkroom: how light and time shape mood, how precision and intuition dance together in the developer bath. It’s a kind of magic, but one grounded in decades of knowledge and feel. You’ll never look at a black-and-white print the same way again.
Darkroom Dreams: Workshops for the Next Generation
One of the standout elements of the Arsenal's program is its dedication to education and hands-on experience—especially for younger visitors. The center offers immersive workshops in cyanotype, photogram, and analog darkroom techniques designed especially for kids and teenagers. These aren’t your average “point-and-shoot” photo classes. Instead, they’re a deep dive into the tactile, experimental joy of pre-digital image-making.
Children learn to coat paper with light-sensitive solutions, arrange objects to cast shadows directly onto photo paper, and even develop film in the alchemical atmosphere of the darkroom. These workshops aren’t just about nostalgia—they’re about awakening a new generation to the creative possibilities of working slowly, thoughtfully, and with their hands.
A Living Arsenal for the Visual Arts
With its fusion of historical depth, practical engagement, and contemporary presentation, Foto Arsenal Wien has launched not just a space, but a movement. It reminds us that photography is not just a tool for capturing the world, but a way of seeing, thinking, and remembering.
Whether you're eight years old with blue-stained fingers from your first cyanotype, or an old-school photo buff marveling at a contact sheet from a Magnum legend, Foto Arsenal Wien is built to inspire.
More photos can be found at my Gallery Website.
The following blogposts are also interesting:
