Blue Notes

Celebrate the Goethe-Institut's newest exhibition with an opening reception and artist talk with Astrid Riecken.

Astrid Riecken is a German photojournalist who has lived in the US for over thirty years. She has spent most of this time in the city of Washington, DC, to which she feels a strong connection.

In this exhibition, she is showing a series of unique digital photo collages for the first time. They are based on photos that Astrid Riecken took mainly in Washington and then assembled into new scenes. She calls them “art works” for short.

Astrid Riecken’s collages depict Washington as a shadowy, noir-inspired stage. Under the glow of neon signs and pointed streetlamps, scenes reveal the Capital’s cultural gathering spaces: the theaters, cinemas, and jazz clubs where its true character emerges. Shadowy silhouettes define each frame. Legendary jazz musicians drift alongside anonymous passers-by and the artist’s real-life companions.

Visually, Riecken draws on the bold design language of the 1920s, channeling the centenary era defined by artistic innovation and a newfound sense of female autonomy. However, this harkening back to creative prosperity is tempered by the weight and context of history. By juxtaposing the creative awakening of the early 20th century with the mid-century disasters that followed, Riecken voices a profound concern for our present moment. The body of art works explored in Blue Notes captures a balance, acknowledging the fractures of the past while finding enduring hope in Washington’s beauty, its music, and its people. 

Join us for an opening reception on 29 January, 6-9pm, with artist talk starting at 7pm.
Light refreshments will be served.

Starting Monday, 2 Feb, the works of the artists will be displayed at the Goethe-Institut for the public, Mondays through Thursdays, from 2: 00 pm to 5:00 pm, or by appointment, through March 12, 2026.

About the artist

Astrid Riecken is a German photojournalist who has lived in the US for over thirty years. She has spent most of this time in the city of Washington, DC, to which she feels a strong connection. 
In this exhibition, she is showing a series of unique digital photo collages for the first time. They are based on photos that Astrid Riecken took mainly in Washington and then assembled into new scenes. She calls them “art works” for short.