Leni Willimann-Thöni, student of the specialized photography class at the Zurich School of Applied Arts, circa 1940 © Leni Willimann-Thöni / Fotostiftung Schweiz
TITLE_NAME :
Female. Focus. Photo Archives.
28/02/2026 - 14/06/2026
Fotostiftung Schweiz
Grüzenstrasse 45
8400 Winterthur Winterthur
fotostiftung.ch/en/
For a long time, the history of Swiss photography was primarily narrated as a story of male photographers, conveyed from a male perspective. Of the approximately 160 archives at Fotostiftung Schweiz, only 26 can be attributed to female photographers.
The exhibition Female. Focus. Photo Archives. focuses on seven archives from 1900 to 1970. A collective of female curators from Fotostiftung Schweiz examines the peculiarities and commonalities of these archives and the conditions in which these women photographers worked. To what extent was photography a female profession? How did prevailing role models, economic structures and family duties impact the work of women photographers and the recognition they received? How are these circumstances reflected in their archives, and why have they barely been visible until now? And how can gaps in the archives and collections at Fotostiftung Schweiz be addressed?
28/02/2026 - 14/06/2026
Fotostiftung Schweiz
Grüzenstrasse 45
8400 Winterthur Winterthur
fotostiftung.ch/en/
For a long time, the history of Swiss photography was primarily narrated as a story of male photographers, conveyed from a male perspective. Of the approximately 160 archives at Fotostiftung Schweiz, only 26 can be attributed to female photographers.
The exhibition Female. Focus. Photo Archives. focuses on seven archives from 1900 to 1970. A collective of female curators from Fotostiftung Schweiz examines the peculiarities and commonalities of these archives and the conditions in which these women photographers worked. To what extent was photography a female profession? How did prevailing role models, economic structures and family duties impact the work of women photographers and the recognition they received? How are these circumstances reflected in their archives, and why have they barely been visible until now? And how can gaps in the archives and collections at Fotostiftung Schweiz be addressed?