WO MAN  Women’s Lives in the Region of Hanover

The photographs in the exhibition “wo man – Women’s Lives in the Region of Hanover” emerged from a dialogical and open process closely tied to the participatory spirit of the project. Lars Schumacher chose an approach grounded in attentiveness, resonance, and genuine exchange. The women he portrayed were not treated as subjects in the traditional sense, but as active partners in the creation of their images. Each photograph grew out of a conversation, an encounter, a moment in which the woman herself decided how she wished to be seen.

Many of the women shared stories about their daily lives, their burdens, their hopes, and their contradictions—either before or during the photographic session. These voices shaped the atmosphere of the encounters and were simultaneously woven into a sound collage that accompanied the exhibition. The sound collage acted as an acoustic extension of the photographs: it made audible what resonates within the images but remains invisible.

In the recordings, the women spoke about themes such as:

• the pressure to be “perfect” in every area of life

• the challenge of balancing work, family, and personal needs

• the invisibility of women’s labor, especially care work

• the experience of not being taken seriously despite high qualifications

• the feeling of never fully meeting societal expectations

• the longing for role models, recognition, and genuine equality

These statements created an emotional resonance chamber for the photographs. While the images showed the women in their presence, calm, or strength, the sound collage revealed their inner landscapes: doubt, exhaustion, courage, anger, humor, and resilience. Together, image and voice formed a dense, multi‑layered experience — a Social Sculpture in the spirit of Beuys, in which the women themselves became active agents.

The photographs were thus created in true collaboration — as shared images born from dialogue and exchange. The sound collage deepened this approach by weaving individual voices into a collective chorus. Together, both layers made visible and audible what the exhibition sought to explore: the diversity of women’s lives, the burdens they carry, and the visions they hold for the future.

The exhibition “wo man – Women’s Lives in the Region of Hanover”, presented by artist Lars Schumacher from March 6 to April 7, 2015 in the town hall of Barsinghausen, marked the beginning of a collaborative project between art, gender equality policy, and empirical social research. In close cooperation with the City’s Gender Equality Officer, Susanne Brandts, a participatory Social Sculpture emerged that actively involved women and girls from the region. Visitors were invited to contribute their perspectives, experiences, and wishes by responding to six central questions and placing their answers into a question box. These questions addressed expectations placed on women, discussions about gender roles, the compatibility of family and career, personal understandings of equality, attitudes toward the women’s quota, and female role models.

Based on these collected voices, the publication “Sozialwissenschaftliche Analyse der Lebenswelten von Mädchen und Frauen in der Region Hannover” was created, written by Ann‑Kristin Drewke, a literary scholar specializing in gender studies. The analysis evaluated responses from three groups — secondary school students, high school students, and women over 20 — and revealed striking differences in perceptions, expectations, and experiences. Younger students largely accepted traditional gender roles without question, naming household and childcare as central expectations for women. Older women and high school students, by contrast, described intense societal pressure to be “perfect” in all areas of life. The often contradictory demands placed on modern femininity were perceived as nearly impossible to fulfill and were captured in the metaphor of the “egg‑laying wool‑milk sow.”

Clear differences also emerged in discussions about gender roles: younger girls reported almost no such conversations, while older women spoke about conflicts in partnerships, unequal division of labor, and societal expectations. The question of freely choosing between family and career revealed a wide gap between aspiration and reality: lack of childcare, financial insecurity, and limited societal acceptance of diverse life models were identified as major obstacles. When asked about equality, participants emphasized equal rights, equal pay, and a fair distribution of responsibilities. The question of the women’s quota exposed knowledge gaps among younger girls and strong polarization among high school students, while women over 20 almost unanimously supported the quota. Particularly striking was the lack of female role models among younger girls, which the analysis linked to the historical invisibility of women in education and historiography.

The study draws on key gender equality and academic sources, including the Gender Data Report of the Federal Republic of Germany (2005), published by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) in cooperation with Waltraud Cornelißen, which documents structural disadvantages faced by women in working life. It also refers to the Atlas of Gender Equality in Germany (2013), likewise published by the BMFSFJ, which highlights the high qualification levels of women and their simultaneous underrepresentation in leadership positions. To contextualize debates around the women’s quota, the study cites the WISO Discourse “Gender Equality Policy in Controversy – An Argumentation Aid” (2011) by the Friedrich‑Ebert‑Stiftung, Department of Economic and Social Policy. Additionally, it draws on the historical scholarship of Ute Gerhard, who has demonstrated the systematic exclusion of women from historical narratives and curricula.

Taken together, the exhibition, the participatory collection of voices, and the subsequent social science analysis show how artistic practice, gender equality policy, and empirical research can interlock to make social realities visible. The voices of women and girls from the Hanover region were not only gathered but placed within a broader political and historical context — becoming a catalyst for future gender equality work.

The photographs presented in “wo man – Women’s Lives in the Region of Hanover” each measure 150 × 150 cm. They were first shown during the 48‑hour group exhibition “Symbiose”, held from October 5–7, 2012 at the Kultur‑Etage of SofaLoft in Hanover. In this context, the works were exhibited alongside sculptures by artist Frederik Krahforst, one of which was featured on the exhibition poster. The 48‑hour exhibition format was initiated and curated by Ralf Sommer. Venue: SofaLoft Hannover, Jordanstr. 26, 30173 Hanover, Germany.

A later presentation of the works took place at the Clemens Galleries in Solingen from April 5–30, 2014, in collaboration with artist Burkhard Görschel (sculpture), Lars Schumacher (photography), and Ralf Sommer (painting), together with the production team of the city‑art project led by cultural event manager Timm Kronenberg. Venue: Gallery city‑art, Düsseldorfer Strasse 71 + 73, 42697 Solingen, Germany.