Donata Wenders was born in Berlin in 1965. She studied film and theatre in Berlin and Stuttgart and began her artistic career as a cinematographer for feature films and documentaries.

Since 1995 she has been working as a freelance photographer. Her images are characterised by a classical, mostly black and white visual language. With photography’s digital transformation, Donata Wenders has been developing audiovisual short film installations since 2015. This fusion of photography and moving image lead her back to her roots and also marked an evolution in genre.

In 2006, her first book „Donata – Islands of Silence“ was published. This was followed in 2016 by the artist book with painter Robert Bosisio „Vanishing Point – Donata Wenders and Robert Bosisio“.

She has published several other books with her husband Wim Wenders, including „Leiko Ikemura in conversation with Donata and Wim Wenders“ (2018), „PINA – The Film and the Dancers„ (2012), „Don’t Come Knocking“ (2005), „The Buena Vista Social Club“ (2000), „The Heart is a Sleeping Beauty“ (2000), and „Beyond the Clouds/My Time with Antonioni“ (1995).

Her photos have been published in international magazines such as Egoiste, BLAU Magazine, The New York Times, Vogue, W, Deutsch, Rolling Stone, Kult, Esquire Pen and Let’s Panic, in addition to CD and book covers for Bono, Jon Hassell, Sam Phillips, BAP, ZweiRaumWohnung and Die Toten Hosen and Peter Handke. She has also been a set photographer for her husband Wim Wenders‘ films since 1995.

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2024„READING TIME“, Photographs and moving images, Leica Gallery, Düsseldorf
„Light and Flavor of Japan“, A Photographic Journey by Donata and Wim Wenders, Japanisch-Deutsches Zentrum Berlin
„READING TIME“, Photographs and Moving Images, Leica Gallery Salzburg
„Komorebi Dreams“, Photographs and Installations, Johanna Breede PHOTOKUNST, Berlin
2023„Komorebi Dreams“, Installations, 104Galerie, Tokyo
„Ode an das Handwerk“, Installationen, Japanisches Palais, Dresden
2022„THROUGH THE CRACKS OF TIME“, Galerie Albert Baumgarten
2021„KuK – Kunst- und Kulturzentrum der StädteRegion Aachen in Monschau“, Art Exhibition, Monschau
2020„rbb short film“, Everything Has It's Time, RBB Online
2019„Photographs“, by Donata Wenders, Neue Galerie Gladbeck
„Studie“, Polka Galerie, Paris
2018„Gestures of Light“, Atelier Jungwirth, Graz
„Leggendo Il Tempo“, C2 Contemporanea 2, Florence
„Gelesene Zeit“, Photographische Studien , Johanna Breede Photokunst
2017„Im Licht der Zeit“, FO.KU.S Innsbruck
2014„Silent Traces“, Johanna Breede Photokunst, Berlin, DE
2013„In the Snow“, Werkhallen, Oberwinter-Remagen, DE
2012„Donata Wenders“, Gallery Zandari, Seoul, KR
„Unsichtbar. Stimmen und Spuren“, Schlossmediale, Werdenberg, CH
„Donata Wenders – Photographie“, Exhibition Space Céline and Heiner Bastian, Berlin, DE
2011„Contemplation“, Galerie f5,6, Munich, DE
„Sensualité et Grâce“, Polka Galerie, Paris, FR
2010„Absent Presence“, Muzeul de Artă Cluj-Napoca, RU
2009„Kleine Ewigkeiten“, Stadthaus Ulm, Ulm, DE
2008„Kleine Ewigkeiten“, Leica Galerie, Salzburg, AU
„Kleine Ewigkeiten“, Leica Galerie, Solms, DE
2007„Kleine Ewigkeiten“, Photography Monika Mohr Galerie, Hamburg, DE
2006„Islands of Silence“, Königsmünster Abbey, Meschede, DE
2005„Donata Wenders“, La Corte, Bari, IT
2004„Islands of Silence“, Galerie f5,6, Munich, DE
„Donata Wenders“, Le Grand Chalet, Rossinière, CH
2003„Islands of Silence“, Photography Monika Mohr Galerie, Hamburg, DE
2002„Donata Wenders“, Galleria Allessandra Bonomo, Rome, IT
2000„Donata Wenders“, Huis Marseille, Amsterdam, NL
„Pina“, Donata Wenders, Teatro Della Visione, Milan, IT
„Podcast“, BEGEGNUNG – Ode an das Handwerk

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2024„Robert Bosisio, Asa Hiramatsu, Donata Wenders“, Group Show, 104Galerie, Tokyo
„WONDER Mt. FUJI“, TOKYO PHOTOGRAPHIC ART MUSEUM
2023„WOMEN ONLY“, Johanna Breede PHOTOKUNST
2022„HERBST“, Johanna Breede PHOTOKUNST
„Teodora Axente, Robert Bosisio, Donata Wenders“, Group Exhibition, 104 Galerie, Tokyo
„SOMMER“, Johanna Breede PHOTOKUNST
„Collection 20:2 – Klassiker & Ikonen der Fotokunst“, Monschau
„SCHLOSSMEDIALE“, Werdenberg
„MEET YOUR ARTIST“, Nürnberg
„SPRING / FRÜHLING“, Johanna Breede PHOTOKUNST
2021„WINTER“, Johanna Breede PHOTOKUNST
„FÜNF SEEN FILM FESTIVAL“, Starnberg
2020„KINO DER KUNST 2020“, KINOS DER HFF
„INSPIRATION HANDWERK“, Film Festival and Art Exhibition, Dresden
„NON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART DRESDEN“, Group exhibition, Dresden
„Brandenburg Art Award“, Group exhibition, Schloss Neuhardenberg Exhibition Hall
„Vertiges des Jours“, Group exhibition , Polka Galerie, Paris
„HINTER DEN KULISSEN“, Johanna Breede Photokunst, Berlin
2019„HIGH FIVE!“, 5 Years Galleria Doris Ghetta, Galleria Doris Ghetta
„Der Funke Gottes!“, Schatz + Wunderkammern im Bamberger Diözesanmuseum
„Think Big“, Photography Monika Mohr Galerie, Hamburg
„Magic of Silence“, Johanna Breede Fotokunst, Berlin
2018„10th Anniversary Suite 59 Gallery / #59 Magazine Exhibition“, Amsterdam, NL
„On Disappearance and Appearance“, The Ephemeral in Photography, Alfred Ehrhard Stiftung, Berlin
„Leiko Ikemura in conversation with Donata and Wim Wenders“, Max Liebermann Haus, Berlin
2017„Zwischen Himmel und Erde“, Galleria Doris Ghetta at Galerie Tanit, Munich
„Les Pêcheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers)“, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, directed by Wim Wenders, Berlin
„Thank you for Smoking“, Monika Mohr Galerie, Hamburg
„Favorite Images / Lieblingsbilder“, Johanna Breede Photokunst
2016„Amérique: mythes et légendes. With works by William Eggleston, Hiro, Jean-Pierre Laffont, Robert Mapplethorpe, Irving Penn, Herb Ritts and Donata Wenders“, Mérignac Photographic Festival, Vieille Église Saint Vincent, Merignac, FR
„Art Comes First“, A Modern Masters of Photography Group Exhibition, Monika Mohr, Hamburg, DE
„Vis-à-Vis“, Johanna Breede Photokunst, Berlin, DE
„Nordic Light International Festival for Photography“, Nordic Light House of Photography, Kristiansund, NO
2015„The space between the characters can carry the load“, Collection Ivo Wessel, Museum Weserburg, Bremen, DE
„Places of the Mind“, Wim & Donata Wenders, Polka Galerie, Paris
„Vanishing Point“, Donata Wenders - Robert Bosisio, Galleria Doris Ghetta, Ortisei, IT
„Leiko Ikemura – All about Girls and Tigers“, with two Portraits of the artist by Donata Wenders, Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln, DE
„Through Women’s Eyes.“, From Diane Arbus to Letizia Battaglia, Casa dei Tre Oci, Venice, IT
„The Window“, Johanna Breede Photokunst, ​Berlin, DE
2013„Sieh! Mal! An!“, With photographs by Peter Beard, Daniele Buetti, Arnulf Rainer, Many Ray, Straulino and Donata Wenders, Photography Monika Mohr Galerie, Hamburg, DE
„BER – Bilder einer Stadt“, Pavlov's Dog Space for Photography, Berlin, DE
2012„Format Pola“, Philippe Guionie, Sara Imloul, Donata Wenders, Polka Galerie, Paris, FR
2011„!We love black and white!“, With photographs by Ellen Auerbach, Robert Cappa, Anton Corbijn, Dennis Hopper, Many Ray and Donata Wendersn
„Liberté. Egalité. Féminité.“, Marc Riboud, Donata Wenders, Marc Montméat, Martha Camarillo, Polka Galerie, Paris, FR
2009„Vis à Vis“, Bautzner 69, Dresden, DE
2006„Journey to Onomichi“, with Wim Wenders, Omotesando Hills, Tokyo, JP
2005„Gruppenausstellung“, with works by Tomio Seike, Malcolm Pasley, Don McCullin, Olaf Martens, Harry Callahan, Robert Doisneau and Donata Wenders, Galerie f5,6, Munich, DE
„Born in the Sixties“, Positions in Contemporary Photography, C/O Berlin, DE
2004„Off-scene“, Wim and Donata Wenders, Galleria Ferragamo, Florence, IT
2001„Buena Vista Social Club“, Travelling exhibition organized by the Goethe-Institute, starting in 1991, through Europe, Asia and America
2000„Wim und Donata Wenders „Filmstills und Backstage Photography““, travelling exhibition in collaboration with the Solares Fondazione delle Arti, Parma, IT
1997„Palazzo Ducale“, Parma, IT