Chronicle of a Life Untold

“When I saw my photos on the wall in the exhibition model for the first time, it gave me a fright, but also in a good way,” said the German photographer Peter Lindbergh in 2019. “It was overwhelming to be thus confronted with who I am.” Lindbergh died late last year, lending further weight to an already impressive photo collection—the first-ever curated by the photographer—encompassing his most well-known pictures as well as some never-before-seen images from the 1980s to the present. Doing most of his work for such publications as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, W, and Rolling Stone meant chronicling fashion’s evolution and connecting with leading figures across industries. It also meant that many of his photographs—elevated by the intimate relationships he developed with his subjects—were available only briefly, soon replaced by the next issue on newsstands. The exhibition at the Kunstpalast and accompanying volume of more than 150 photographs offer Lindbergh’s legacy-in-images the attention and staying power that it deserves. —Julia Vitale