27. March 2015 - 21. June 2015
The Destructive Art of Hurricane Sandy

Paris, Schießerei vor der Irakischen Botschaft 1978
Paris, Schießerei vor der Irakischen Botschaft 1978
Foto: © Randy Taylor
Randy G. Taylor has been a photographer for more than 40 years. In 1978, Taylor was just 22 years old, he worked for Associated Press in Paris, France, where he managed to capture the shoot-out at the Iraqi Embassy – which got him considered for the Pulitzer Prize. His work has since been bought by numerous companies and printed by a long array of prestigious publications.
New York, Freiheitsstatue mit den Twin Towers
New York, Freiheitsstatue mit den Twin Towers
Foto: © Randy Taylor

Taylor had stored his photographic work in a professional storage facility in New York, along with the family photo archive, spanning several generations. In October 2012, New York was hit by hurricane Sandy and the storm flooded the entire archive.
When Taylor was allowed to access it weeks later, the damage was done: Mildew, dirt and bacteria had gotten to the prints, negatives and slides, causing the material to deteriorate, to crack and to dissolve.
Looking through the debris of his career, Taylor suddenly noticed that the damage had in some cases led to quite stunning results. He found an aesthetic beauty among the destruction he had not expected to find.
The exhibition, put together by Randy Taylor and Stadthaus curator Tommi Brem, presents a selection of the salvaged material and documents the unusual collaboration between a photographer and the forces of nature.
Project management: Tommi Brem
Opening: Thursday, March 26 2015, 7 to 9 pm