Faszination Zollverein

In the organizer's words:

From the most modern coal mine in the world and the most efficient central coking plant in Europe to an impressive industrial monument: in 65 large-format photographs, renowned photographer Thomas Stachelhaus illustrates the transformation from a place of industry to a center for art, culture, education, leisure and business that fascinates around 1.7 million visitors every year.

The photographs show stark contrasts: originally preserved surface facilities, where coal was once mined and coke was baked, are juxtaposed with modern new buildings that now house start-up offices, art studios and dance schools, among other things. Whether by day or night, in black and white or in color - each picture tells the story of this living industrial monument in its own way. And in a special location: the exhibition takes place in the mixing plant of the Zollverein coking plant, an authentic location that is itself part of industrial history. The rooms create a unique atmosphere in which past and present come together - visitors experience industrial history exactly where it was actually written.

The exhibition is sponsored by the RAG-Stiftung and is under the patronage of Bärbel Bergerhoff-Wodopia, Member of the Board of the RAG-Stiftung. On the day of the opening, the illustrated book "Zollverein. UNESCO World Heritage" will be published by Berg & Feierabend Verlag, edited by Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Noll, Prof. Heinrich Theodor Grütter and Peter Feierabend with photographs by Thomas Stachelhaus.

Thomas Stachelhaus

Thomas Stachelhaus, born in Bochum in 1959, works as a freelance photographer for various publishers and companies. His grandfather sparked his love of photography at the age of 15. After a classic apprenticeship as a photographer, he studied photo-film design with a focus on photojournalism and architectural photography at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Dortmund. During his studies, he got to know the artist family "The Kelly Family", who allowed him to document them with his camera. Numerous publications in various print media bear witness to the extremely intensive collaboration, which was characterized by mutual respect and continues to this day. For example, he accompanies Joey Kelly worldwide on almost all extreme sports or adventure events. Today, Thomas Stachelhaus is a contractor for numerous organizations and corporations.