During the 2019 anniversary celebrations between the sister cities of Hamburg and Chicago, the Amerikazentrum Hamburg presented black & white photographs by the US photographer Allen Bourgeois.

His ingenious “street photography” is also a reflection of the political and social developments in the US which is why I was happy to curate this exhibition.

"Streets, Alleys and Other Observations, Chicago“ is about recognising and capturing the moments that normally happen in a fraction of a second before they disappear again. Bourgeois always keeps his eyes open for what is there and does not try to plan anything in advance. Spontaneity is his trademark.

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The longer Bourgeois worked on this project, the more it became clear to him that these photographs are also a mirror of our society. They are snapshots - sometimes ironic, sometimes banal, often humorous but sometimes also sad. These are observations that may show us all who we are. 

The guests were impressed by Bourgeois' unusually intense work. He was present at the opening and was happy to answer the many questions of the guests about his photographed stories.

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