Munich's Second Photography Symposium Draws Crowds at Pinakothek der Moderne

The second edition of the symposium "Fotografie in München" took place at the end of January 2026 at the Pinakothek der Moderne, filling its 300-seat auditorium. Organized by four Munich institutions—the Münchner Stadtmuseum, the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, and the Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte—the event brought together 50 speakers from diverse fields including art, teaching, restoration, and archiving. Unlike the first symposium in November 2024, which focused on collecting institutions, the 2026 edition highlighted art market players such as auction houses, galleries, and private collectors. The symposia aim to explore Munich's multifaceted photography scene, examining its historical and contemporary developments amid shifts in visual culture, digitalization, and new technologies like machine learning and image generators. The initiative builds on Munich's legacy as a "Fotostadt," a term coined in 1963 for the opening of the Fotomuseum im Münchner Stadtmuseum. Organizers include Prof. Dr. Sophie Junge (LMU), Dr. Franziska Kunze (Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen), Dr. Franziska Lampe (Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte), and Dr. Kathrin Schönegg (Münchner Stadtmuseum). The symposia have garnered regional attention, inspiring similar networking efforts in Leipzig and Dresden.