A 20th Century Pioneer of Scientific Photography: Exhibition at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Presents Insights into the Work of Fritz Goro
Fritz Goro (1901–1986) studied in 1921 and 1922 at the early Bauhaus in Weimar. He later went on to become one of the most important science photographers in the USA. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is paying tribute to Goro’s extraordinary contribution to science photography in the exhibition »Fritz Goro: Fotografie zwischen Kunst und Wissenschaft«, starting on 6 March 2025 in the foyer of the University Library. The exhibition features work from across five decades and highlights the pivotal points in his career, which is characterised by his Jewish-German-American exile history.
Goro’s photography has appeared in renowned magazines such as »Life« and »Time«, as well as in scientific journals like »Smithsonian« and »Scientific American«. While he is recognised as a leading figure in science photography in the USA, his work is largely unknown in Germany. The extensive exhibition features over 50 pieces from the 1940s to the 1980s and includes photographs of experiments using light, lasers, various optical systems, and microchips. Goro is credited with successfully presenting the invention of holography in a visually comprehensive way. His photographs of moon rocks under polarized light, visualizations of marine microfossils, and specially created models of DNA replication are particularly noteworthy. His involvement in important scientific developments made him one of the foremost scientific photographers of his time.
Exhibition curator Dr. Eva Castringius is a photographer and artistic-scientific employee in the »Neue Medien und angewandte Grafik im Bezugsfeld Bildender Kunst« Department at the University of Greifswald’s Caspar-David-Friedrich-Institut. She has been researching and writing about Goro since 2015. She has visited his grandchildren the USA, which has given her a profound understanding of his work. Dr. Castringius is currently researching Fritz Goro for a DFG-funded project at the University of Greifswald.
The exhibition opening will take place on 6 March, 2025 at 5 pm in the Maurice-Halbwachs-Auditorium. Speakers at the event include Prof. Peter Benz, Nicole Schlabach on behalf of the »Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung«, Bauhaus expert Michael Siebenbrodt on behalf of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Freundeskreis, and exhibition curator Eva Castringius. Dr. Castringius will then provide a tour through the exhibition.
The exhibition was made possible by the support from the »Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Hessen-Thüringen« and the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Freundeskreis. The exhibition will be on display until 3 May 3 and is open on weekdays from 9 am to 11 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am to 6 pm in the University Library.
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Frank Simon-Ritz, Director of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar University Library, Phone: +49 3643/582800, E-mail: frank.simon-ritz[at]uni-weimar.de
Exhibition curator Dr. Eva Castringius and artistic-scientific employee in the »Neue Medien und angewandte Grafik im Bezugsfeld Bildender Kunst« Department at the University of Greifswald’s Caspar-David-Friedrich-Institut, Phone: +49 3834/4203272, E-mail: eva[at]evacastringius.de