Demolition 2.0

"Stuttgart is tearing itself down" was the title of the unusually successful 2016 exhibition at the Weißenhofgalerie, curated by Claudia Betke (+2023), with photographs by Wolfram Janzer and Wilfried Dechau. The exhibition showcased some significant, listed buildings, some everyday ones shortly before and during demolition. It was regretted that only the buildings and their demolition could be shown, but not what was to be built in their place or what has since been built. Therefore, a second part of the exhibition is being considered. Now the time has come.

Wilfried Dechau has re-photographed all the demolition sites from the previous exhibition. The before-and-after photos are juxtaposed without commentary.

And they provoke questions. Were total demolitions really necessary? Does the new construction convince?

Everything could have led to better results if it had been more culturally conscious, resource-efficient, and with careful component analysis. Fortunately, the examples in the exhibition show that we have become wiser and that these are precisely the questions that need to be answered before any demolition.

Opening: 2.7.2025, 7 pm
Welcome: Wolfgang Schwarz
Introduction: Wilfried Dechau