“Ladies and gentlemen, everyone in between and beyond.” Was how Kim Engels, director of the Women’s Museum in Wiesbaden, greeted (art) lovers from near and far at the opening of Steffi Eckelmann-Heller’s exhibition “Sometimes Me“.

Over the course of 3 separate trips, the artist and photographer spent 13 months in Cambodia and noticed something perhaps unsurprising but nonetheless outrageous: women are severely disadvantaged over there. Girls leave school earlier than boys, go on to earn lower wages than them, suffer from domestic violence and harassment. Ancient ‘rules’ of obedience and submission apply to women to this very day.

Members of the LGBTQ community are not protected by law, find themselves excluded from their families, forced into traditional marriages and images overlooked by a corrupt justice system. “Healings” are common procedure in an attempt to “cure” them.

Eckelmann-Heller’s goal is to draw attention to these issues and encourage acceptance and understanding in the world. To shed light on the bravery in loving whom you want and loving who you are.

During her stay, the artist not only met the people she photographed but truly got to know them. She took their pictures in environments where they would feel safe and comfortable to be who they are. Their stories are written down next to prints of the photos in a free bilingual leaflet (English and German).

Coming Up

At any given time, the museum has three to four ongoing exhibitions across four floors. All of them have English and German descriptions.

Ancient Statues (permanent exhibition)

A frequently changing variety of exhibitions makes sure that you will always want to come back for more.

Sophie von Stillfried: A Second Skin (until April 22, 2018)

Golden Apples of the Hesperiden until April 29, 2018)

Sometimes Me (until July 22, 2018)

Geometric Segments (April 29 to June 24, 2018)

Along the Way to Home (May 13 to July 22, 2018)

The Art of Remembering (September 2, 2018 to February 10, 2019)

Getting There

The museum is located in a lovely townhouse in the heart of Wiesbaden. Wiesbaden is, well, in Wiesbaden, circa 1.5 hours from the KMC and no more than 2 hours from Stuttgart.

Admission costs €6 per adult.

The museum is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from noon to 5 p.m.

Author’s profile: Leonie is a poetry-loving literature student with a passion for small towns, road trips, and breakfast food being served at all hours of the day. When she isn’t hopping from one bargain flight to the next, she is making sure you’re hanging with the locals and staying updated on events in your area.