Thomas Kretschmann's First Photo Exhibition 'short stories' Opens at SLEEK ART SPACE in 2026

Thomas Kretschmann, the German actor known for roles in Stalingrad (1993), The Pianist, Wanted, Valkyrie, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), will present his debut photography exhibition 'short stories' at SLEEK ART SPACE from 10.09 to 12.11.2026. The show features photographs taken since 2011, when Kretschmann began shooting on the set of Dschungelkind, directed by Roland Suso Richter, in Malaysia with an old Canon camera. His practice is instinctive: he shoots from the hip while filming, travelling, or between scenes, avoiding rehearsals and Photoshop. 'I don't take photographs because I have to, but because I'm curious,' he says. 'Cropping is everything.' The exhibition includes images such as Home (January 13, 2019), Los Angeles (October 13, 2019), a protest in Los Angeles (30.5.2020), Stars 'n' Stripes, Divided We Stand, and a provocative photo taken on a recreated Oval Office set in Washington, DC, where he placed two wolves. Other series feature his partner, including Cannonball and Muse, the latter drawing on their shared love of water. Kretschmann, a former competitive swimmer who escaped the GDR and moved to Los Angeles thirty years ago, lives between L.A. and Berlin. He credits directors and fellow actors, especially Roman Polanski on The Pianist, with shaping his visual understanding. The exhibition is on view at SLEEK ART SPACE from September 10 to November 12, 2026.