New Leica Store and Leica Gallery will be opened in Vienna at the end of the month. For further details see the press release below:
Leica Store and Leica Gallery to open in Vienna, close to Kärntnerstraße and Opera
Opening features Photography Exhibition Still Moments by Gregor Schlierenzauer
1010 Vienna, Walfischgasse 1 (corner of Kärntnerstraße)
October 30, 5 pm: Press Conference
October 31, 10 am – 8 pm: Open House with presentation of all the novelties introduced at the Photokina Fair
2 pm: Book Signing with Gregor Schlierenzauer
Managing Directors of the Project: Peter Coeln (Leica Shop Vienna, WestLicht, OstLicht) and Dr. Andreas Kaufmann (Chairman of the Board and Majority Owner, Leica Camera AG)
Soon, fans of Leica cameras will have a new meeting-point in prime city real estate. Combining a Leica Store and Leica Gallery is a new concept. On October 31, 2012 from 10 am onwards, the new location opens with a presentation of all the Leica Company’s novelties, straight from the Photokina Fair. At 2 pm, Gregor Schlierenzauer will sign his new photography book, published by Red Bull Creative, and give autographs.
A New Store Concept
Combining a Leica Store and Leica Gallery, the tradition-steeped firm Leica presents a new calling card in the heart of Vienna, starting on October 31. The new store and gallery reflect Leica’s corporate identity, using wood, glass and metal and thus offering a perfect framework for the presentation of technology and art.
By combining a store with a gallery, Leica introduces a completely new retail concept. High-quality Leica cameras and sport optics will be presented in a harmonious dialogue with unique photographic art here.
Exhibition spaces within the store area will offer room for large-scale photographs, while the Leica Gallery on the upper floor will feature changing photographic exhibits.
By offering a high-class printing service on location, the new Leica Store also wants to enhance the haptic experience of the photograph. “With digital photography, I see the large problem that almost nothing is elaborated anymore,” Managing Director Peter Coeln says. “The picture you can touch is important; it is valuable, it is better than any storage medium. This store is unprecedented; we are breaking new ground here.”
Still Moments by Gregor Schlierenzauer
Photography has been a great passion for the Austrian top athlete Gregor Schlierenzauer, who is already the second most successful ski-jumper of all times.
“Schlieri” takes pictures with his Leica M9 and represents a younger generation which is passionate about taking pictures without mobile phones. He finds his motifs mainly while traveling. His work is characterized by a light touch and spontaneity, but also by earnestness and sensitivity.
“At a young age, I had the opportunity to see much of the world. That is why I have a different perspective on many things. Ever since I started taking photographs, I have gone through life with more open eyes, taking a closer and more conscious look at things. I seek out the quiet moments in my life, enjoy them and capture them,” says Gregor Schlierenzauer.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann emphasizes: “As a young talented photographer, Gregor has undergone a tremendous development in recent years. That is why we have added him to the Leica Talent Pool. We at Leica believe in him and will support him.” In September of this year, Gregor Schlierenzauer became the first winner of the Leica Mentoring Program, through which the company wishes to support young photographers.
The Leica Company
Leica Camera AG is an international premium manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The cornerstone for the myth of the Leica brand were the traditional company’s optics. Combined with innovative technology, they have ensured a sharper image in all situations surrounding vision and perception.
The headquarters of Leica Camera AG is in Solms in Hessen, and a second production plant is based at Vila Nova de Famalicão in Portugal. The company maintains offices in England, France, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea, Italy and the USA. New, innovative products have driven the company’s positive development in recent years.
The Leica Galleries
The Leica Galleries all over the world present images by international photographers taken with Leica cameras or distinguished by a Leica Cultural Project award. In 1976, the first Leica Gallery opened in Wetzlar (located today in Solms); further Galleries were subsequently opened in New York, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Paris, Prague, Warsaw and Salzburg. The Leica Gallery in Vienna adds another prominent address to this list.
