Terra Extract at Königsplatz: Tom Hegen Shows the Altered Earth
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Terra Extract: The Earth from a Bird's Eye View
With the open-air photo exhibition Terra Extract, Tom Hegen transforms Augsburg's Königsplatz into a place of aesthetic experience and critical examination of works. Starting from October 1, 2026, 60 large-format aerial photographs will showcase how raw material extraction, industrial use, and human interventions shape the landscapes of our planet.
Between Abstract Beauty and Ecological Urgency
Tom Hegen uses aerial photography to make the traces of human presence on the Earth's surface visible. From great heights, opencast mines, mining areas, industrial sites, and altered landscapes initially appear as abstract paintings: geometric shapes, intense fields of color, and graphic structures create a fascinating spatial effect. Only upon closer examination does the dimension of the intervention reveal itself.
This tension between visual beauty and substantive urgency forms the core of the exhibition. Hegen's precise compositions guide viewers from sensory perception to societal questions: Where do the raw materials for buildings, vehicles, smartphones, and other everyday items come from? What ecological and social consequences arise where resources are extracted, processed, and consumed?
Tom Hegen and the Art of Aerial Photography
The Augsburg photographer and designer, born in 1991, focuses on landscapes that have been significantly altered by human intervention. His photographic practice combines documentary accuracy with a formally strict, nearly painterly visual language. Art historically, his work can be positioned within the tension field of contemporary photography, anthropocene discourse, landscape representation, and ecological art.
Hegen's works have been shown internationally in solo and group exhibitions, including in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China. Awards such as the Red Dot Design Award, the German Design Award, the International Photography Award, and the shortlist nomination for the Leica Oscar Barnack Award underline the international relevance of his series of images.
An Art Experience in the Open Air
The presentation at Königsplatz makes the exhibition immediately accessible. Around the Thormann Fountain, visitors encounter the large-format photographs in public space and experience how the exhibition atmosphere changes with daylight, weather, movement, and urban everyday life. The open-air staging creates a special connection between the photographed landscapes and the urban environment.
The exhibition was first presented in 2025 at the Environmental Photography Festival Horizonte Zingst. In Augsburg, it will be accompanied by guided tours and events, including in collaboration with the University of Augsburg's Environmental Science Center and the Augsburg Adult Education Center. Thus, Terra Extract connects aesthetic education, environmental education, and societal reflection.
Opening on October 1, 2026
The opening will take place on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 4:30 PM. Education and Culture Officer Tatjana Dörfler will open the exhibition. Following that, a joint tour as well as discussions, photo sessions, and interviews with the artist are planned. The opening also serves as a contribution to the 30-year Augsburg sustainability process.
Conclusion: Landscape as a Mirror of Our Lives
Terra Extract welcomes visitors with impressive photographs, an open curatorial perspective, and a sustainable connection between art and cultural education. The exhibition does not provide pre-formulated answers but sharpens the perception of the invisible connections between consumption, raw material extraction, and landscape change. Anyone who wishes to experience photography as an aesthetic experience and social insight should visit this exhibition live at Augsburg's Königsplatz.
Official Channels of Tom Hegen:
- Instagram: no official profile found
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- Website: https://www.tomhegen.com/
