OUR TOWN – Michael von Graffenried – In the house where Camille Claudel had her studio and not far from the one belonging to William Klein, the studio of photographer Michael von Graffenried opens to the public. ESPACE MVG is a platform for photography that will realize exhibitions independent of location. The inaugural exhibition "OUR TOWN" can be seen from September 27, 2024 to March 1, 2025 and is curated by Alessa Widmer.

For almost 20 years, photographer Michael von Graffenried (*1957) has been capturing the every-day life in the small US town of New Bern in North Carolina. The series "Our Town" focuses on the people of the town and shows their lives, their culture, their successes and difficulties. The photographs are direct and blunt, revealing the ethnic and economic differences of the community. "Our Town” presents a reality that polarizes and is not welcomed by all of the city's residents.

In 2005, Michael von Graffenried photographing the city founded by his ancestor Christoph von Graffenried in 1710. However, the photographs were not met with enthusiasm by the visitors, when they were first shown in New Bern in 2006. Critics argued that the photographs did not present their city properly and that not all its facets were revealed. Nevertheless, von Graffenried continued to pursue the project. A year ago, he made a second attempt at an exhibition in New Bern. In the fall of 2023, "Our Town" was displayed in two exhibitions: a selection of works was shown in a gallery and others could be viewed in an open-air exhibition. As with their first presentation, the photographs were met with criticism and were discussed in the local and international press. But why do the photos in New Bern polarize so strongly?

Are Michael von Graffenried's photographs too striking, too direct, too unsparing? They portray a reality that people don't like to see and which they tend to ignore. They are snapshots that show individual situations and are therefore undoubtedly incomplete. Viewers project their own experiences and fears into these blank spaces, which influence the effect and interpretation of the photographs. "Our Town" provides the basis for an intercultural debate, whether within New Bern or beyond the city limits: where would we position ourselves if our everyday lives were critically portrayed? How is our community seen by outsiders? What do we try not to perceive?

ESPACE MVG