Students create unique cameras out of cans in Pirmasens!

Students create unique cameras out of cans in Pirmasens!

On October 3, 2025, a very special workshop took place in the Pirmasens cultural center, in which pupils from the Hugo Ball High School in Pirmasens could become creative. Under the direction of Steffen Diemer and supported by art teacher Ralph Ehrenreich and Diemers assistant Inessa Siebert, the children were allowed to build photo apparatus from beverage cans. The aim of photographically introducing the youngsters to art, at the same time using the resources efficiently.

Each child made its own camera, which offers the opportunity to take impressive photographs with simple means. After the construction was completed, each child was given the task of setting up their apparatus in a personal place in Pirmasens. An exciting challenge, because the exposure time for the pictures taken is proud a week. After this time, Steffen Diemer will collect the cans and develop the photos in his laboratory-in the style of the traditional wet disk and collodion process.

The exhibition

The developed works will then be part of an exchange exhibition in the Alte Post forum, which will be shown from September 13 to October 25, 2026. This exhibition, even a highlight, will concentrate on photographs of plants from Pirmasens and the surrounding area, which have been created in the wet disk and collodion process. This photographic technology has its roots in the 19th century and remains a fascinating process in today's world.

Steffen Diemer has already drawn attention to himself with his exhibition "Still Silver - Pictures of Things". From May 25th to July 29th, 2018 this was to be seen in the Alte Post forum and comprised 80 works, which were presented in sizes up to 80 x 120 cm. Not only portraits of Pirmasensers, including the Mayor Dr. Matheis, shown, but also the effects of the regional shoe industry on art. The artist took the time to perfect the technology and its background, and put on a mobile darkroom to bring contemporary photography to the traditional city of Pirmasens.

The procedure in detail

The wet plate collo dictionary process that Diemer uses for his works would go back to the developments of Frederick Scott Archer and Gustave Le Gray in the 1850s. The technology requires quick workmanship and is known for the high artistic demands that it places to the photographers. Glass plates are covered with a gallery -like layer that contains light -sensitive fabrics. These challenges make every photo unique, which continues the fascination for this old method.

Overall, the combination of workshops and exhibitions shows how lively the art scene is in Pirmasens. Not only do little artists have the chance to try things out here, but the entire city also benefits from the appreciation for crafts and traditional art. More information about the competitions and the big exhibition will certainly follow.

For further details about the events and the entire program, it is worth taking a look at the comprehensive information in the articles from rheinpfalz.de, art portal-pfalz.de and the background to it Collodium wet.