Photographer Claudia Wiens
The camera is my tool to discover the world and to connect to people.
BIO
Claudia Wiens is a German photographer, artist and author currently living in Seville, Spain. She lived and worked for 10 years in Egypt and seven in Turkey. She holds a Master’s degree in photo design from the University of Applied Arts and Sciences in Dortmund, Germany.
Her work has appeared in international publications (magazines, newspapers), such as GEO, Stern, New York Times Magazine and The Guardian and she works frequently for a number of organisations, including UNICEF, GIZ and Johns Hopkins.
Claudia Wiens is the author of three photo books: Coptic Life in Egypt, focusing on the religious traditions and social life of the country’s Christians; and a previously undocumented portrayal of daily life in Myanmar/Burma, Of Dung-beetle Messengers and Infamous Crickets. This was supported by a project grant from the German institution VG Bildkunst. Her latest book "Schuhgroesse 37" tells the story about women's football in Palestine, Egypt, Turkey and Berlin.
Her work is frequently featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions at venues like the Kestner Museum (Hanover), Antikenmuseum (Basel), Kreuzbergmuseum (Berlin), HOST Gallery (London) and several Goethe Institutes. In 2013 she received the Border Crossers grant from Robert Bosch Foundation for her long term photo project “Post Revolution art and artists in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya”.
She also regularly teaches photography workshops internationally.
Her expertise and knowledge, from over 17 years of living in the Middle Eastern region and her fluency in Arabic, has allowed her to develop a style of rare intimacy and insight of Middle Eastern culture that has grown into a signature of her work.
CLIENTS (SELECTION)
International Magazines, Newspapers, Agencies: GEO, GEO Special, GEOlino, Der SPIEGEL, Stern, Wallpaper* Magazine, COLORS Magazin, Chrismon, SZ Wissen Magazin, Junge Welt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, BBC World, Newsweek, Bloomberg Magazin, Reuters, Getty Images, epa/dpa, Madame, Abenteuer Reisen Magazin, Marco Polo Reiseführer, Merian Reiseführer, Marie Claire UK, Elf Freunde Magazin, Al Ahram, Cairo Times, The National, Deutsche Welle
Museums, Organisations, Institutes, Hotels: Kestner Museum Hannover, Antikenmuseum Basel, Kreuzbergmueseum, UNDP, UNICEF, Johns Hopkins, GIZ, SOS Kinderdorf, Goethe Institutes, Four Seasons Hotel, Steigenberger Hotel, Iberhotel, Hilton International, Abercrombie and Kent, Orascom, BP, Benetton, ThyssenKrupp
Countries I worked in: Germany, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Palestine, Libya, Syria, Jordan, Gambia, Rwanda, England, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Lao, Belarus, Seychelles, Mexico, Greece, Spain, Guatemala, Cuba
LANGUAGES
German (mother tongue), English (fluent), Egyptian-Arabic (spoken medium to fluently), Turkish (medium), Spanish (medium)
A PERSONAL NOTE
Like many other photographers I also feel the strong decline of photojournalistic work. I do more assignments for NGOs, but I feel it is time to diversify more. I’m in a transformation period where I incorporate more of my other talents and experiment with possibilities. I recently started a second IG account @everydaysustainable where I post ideas, solutions and possibilities about a sustainable and holistic lifestyle (a YouTube channel will follow later this year). This is something that is close to my heart and I generally do lots of research into alternative ways of living, an area where I would love to do more assignments and collaborations as well.
As I am a yoga instructor, reiki practitioner and sound massage fascilitator as well, I started to teach yoga (again) but now with the idea to combine it at some point with photography and creativity and also coaching (especially for women). Since 2011 I have regularly been teaching photography workshops. But I’m actually a bit tired of the classical approach of teaching and I would love to add to the classical approach of teaching a more holistic way that incorporates body, heart and mind. I think synergies are very important and in fact they help myself a lot with my creative work.
To some people the connection between those fields might not be clear immidiately. But if you think of it when I photograph people I have to connect to them on a deeper level, I have to listen, I have to create a safe space where they feel comfortable to be photographed in. I have to be able to create a calm energy in order to take intimate photos or portraits. My skills from practicing yoga, meditation and mindfullness support me in establishing this connection.
I also continue to have exhibitions, something I have always loved doing. Nothing is more satisfying for the artist in me than printing photos on lovely art photography papers. The moment when you can touch and smell the paper the story inside the image becomes alive again.
Most of my photos are available for purchase as a print (not only the images that you see in the Art section) on either fine art paper or especially chosen material for a certain image. I generally sell my photos only as very small limited editions and each picture comes accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Please contact me for available sizes, price, and handling.
CV
EDUCATION
1996 – 2002 University of Applied Science and Arts Dortmund, GER, Faculty of Design
Feb 2002 MSc Photo-Design with “Coptic Life in Egypt” under Prof Heiner Schmitz
1992-1996 Ruhr University Bochum, GER, Faculty of Philology and Faculty of History
June 1996 BA in Art History and Italian
WORK EXPERIENCE (SELECTION)
Since Sep 2019 Tutor for Photography at OfG-Online Schule für
Gestaltung
1995 – NOW Freelance Photographer, Artist, Author and Photography Workshop Facilitator
March 2016 Photography Workshop Facilitator in Barcelona, Spain
May 2014 Photography Workshop Facilitator in Istanbul, Turkey
December 2013 Photography Workshop Facilitator for Robert Bosch
Foundation/Goethe Institute, Cairo, Egypt
Nov 2011 Photography Training Facilitator for WFP Communication Officers at WFP Regional Communication Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey
May 2011 Photography Workshop Facilitator for Goethe Institute in Khartoum, Sudan
Feb – May 2006 Audio-Visual Adviser for UNDP in Cairo, development of a database for films and photos
1995 – 1999 Freelance Photographer for German newspaper Westfälische Rundschau, journalistic photography (portraits, sport, conzerts, news)
Since Dec 2015 Lives in Seville, Cairo and Berlin
From April 2009 - Dec 2015 Lives in Istanbul and Cairo
From 1999 – 2009 Lives in Cairo, Egypt
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)
Feb/March 2018 "WOMEN'S FOOTBALL" in Sala Kstelar in Seville, Spain
Sep 2017 "WOMEN'S FOOTBALL" in La SinMiedo in Seville, Spain
Dec 2016 "EGYPT" in Salón de Arte Crisol in Seville, Spain
Oct 2016 "Art of Resistance in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia" at MitOst Festival in Tbilisi, Georgia
June-Aug 2011 "Schuhgröße 37 – Women’s Football in Egypt, Palestine, Turkey and Berlin" at Kreuzbergmuseum, Berlin
June-July 2011 "Schuhgröße 37 – Women’s Football in Egypt, Palestine, Turkey and Berlin" in Goethe Institutes in Cairo, Khartoum, Algier, Ramallah, Amman, Asyut
Feb 2010 "Daily Life in Burma/Myanmar" in Ibbenbüren with Terre des Hommes
Nov 2009 "Daily Life in Burma/Myanmar" in Essen with Burma Initiative
July 2009 "Informal Areas in Cairo" at Goethe Institute Cairo
June-Okt 2008 "Ten Years of Photography in Egypt" at German Embassy Cairo
April 2007 "Women’s Football" im Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg, Germany
May-Sep 2005 "2000 Years Christianity" in Egypt at Kestner Museum, Hannover, Germany
July-Aug 2004 "Elefantenhimmel" at Maximilianpark, Hamm, Germany
June 2004 "Burma-Mystic and Buddhism" at Sonnenenergieforum, Dortmund, Germany
Jan 2004 "Where Genies Live" at Al Salamlek Gallery, Cairo, Egypt
Dec 2003 "Elefantenhimmel" at Sonnenenergieforum, Dortmund, Germany
March-Apr 2002 "Coptic Life in Egypt" at Goethe Institute Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt
March 2002 "Coptic Life in Egypt" at Sonnenenergieforum, Dortmund, Germany
Sep 2000 "Egypt Caleidoscope" at Auslandsgesellschaft, Dortmund, Germany
Sep 2000 "Mechanics in Bulaq and the Cafe Fishawy" at Goethe Institute Cairo, Egypt
Jan 1999 "Tuareg in Algeria" at Auslandsgesellschaft, Dortmund, Germany
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)
Nov 2017 "People and Winter"at Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
Sep 2017 "The Other Hundred – Educators" in Hongkong, China
June-Nov 2017 "48h Neukölln" with Girlz Who Shoot at Prachtwerk, Berlin
May 2017 "The Other Hundred" at Hysan Place, Hong Kong, China
June 2016 "Portraits" Exhibition at Blank Wall Gallery in Athens, Greece
July 2015 "Exposure Award" at Louvre Museum, Paris, France
April 2014 "The Other Hundred", Singapore
Nov 2013 "Alfred Fried Fotopreis" at Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Oct 2013 "The Other Hundred", Hongkong
Oct-Nov 2011 "SELECT" Photofair in The Print Space Gallery, London, UK
Sep 2010 "Foto8 Award Show" 2010 at Crane Kalman Gallery, Brighton
July-Aug 2010 "Foto8 Summer Show" 2010 at Host Gallery, London, UK
Oct 2008-Mai 2009 "Köstlichkeiten aus Kairo" at Antikenmuseum Basel, Swizzerland
July-Sep 2008 "Summer Show" in HOST Gallery in London, UK
Jan-May 2008 "Köstlichkeiten aus Kairo" at Kestner Museum Hannover
Aug 2007 "UNICEF Photos" at Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt
Oct 2006 "Schoemberger Fotoherbst" at Rathaus Schoemberg, Germany
Nov 2005 "60 Jahre UN" at Opera House, Cairo, Egypt
Sep 2005 "Feed your Imagination" in the.gallery@oxo, London, UK
Nov 2000 "Heimat am Fluß" at Photobiennale in Bad Tölz, Germany
BOOKS
2014 Decentralisation in Rwanda, produced and published by GIZ
June 2011 Schuhgröße 37 – Women’s Football in Egypt, Palestine, Turkey and Berlin, Dietz-Verlag
July 2009 Informal Areas in Cairo, produced and published by GIZ
Feb 2009 Of Dung-beetle Messengers and Infamous Crickets, a photo-text book about daily life in Myanmar, ISBN-13: 978-1320023702
Jan 2008 Köstlichkeiten aus Kairo (Contribution), Published by Kestner Museum
Sep 2003 Coptic Life in Egypt published by AUC in Cairo Press
Nov 2000 Heimat-Sicht (Contribution) Edition Zavrino
AWARDS/GRANTS/PRICES
Oct 2016 Selected for The Other Hundred- EDUCATORS book and exhibition
July 2015 Selected for the Exposure Award Screening in the Louvre, Paris, France
Oct 2014 3rd place in Fine Art Category in Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA)
Nov 2013 Among the 50 finalists of Alfred Fried Award by Edition Lammerhuber
Sep 2013 Screening of my portraits of Tuk Tuk Drivers from Cairo at PHOTOVILLE Festival in Brooklyn, NY
May 2013 Selected for book and exhibition project The Other Hundred
Feb 2013 Border Crossers Grant of Robert Bosch Foundation
Dec 2011 Grant by KULTURWERK of VG Bild-Kunst for my project about Art and Artists in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt
May 2011 Sponsoring by Friedrich Ebert Foundation
April 2011 Culture Grant from DFB (German Football Federation)
March 2011 Finalist at Travel Photography Competition by PLANET Magazine, US
July 2010 Selected for foto8 Summer Show at HOST Gallery, London, UK
April 2010 2nd place at Portrait Photography Competition by PLANET Magazine, US
July 2008 Selected for foto8 Summer Show at HOST Gallery, London, UK
Oct 2006 Among 25 finalists at Schoemberger Fotoherbst, Germany
March 2006 Grant by KULTURWERK of VG Bild-Kunst for my project about Daily Life in Myanmar
Aug 2005 Finalist at competition Feed your Imagination by Observer and Seeds of Change
2002 Sponsoring by Sawiris Foundation for my book Coptic Life in Egypt
Feb-Sep 2002 Grant by Egyptian Ministry of Education for Arabic Studies
Nov 2000 Finalist at competition Heimat am Fluß, Photobiennale in Bad Tölz
