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Satirical photomontages by the Darmstadt artist from April 25, 2025 – accompanying catalogue book published
With a sharp pen, keen eye and vivid irony, the Darmstadt artist and publicist Paul Hermann Gruner will present his new exhibition “Cars are deadly!” at the Frankfurt satire theater Die Schmiere .
The series consists of digital photomontages that take a biting satire on the automobile – the “fetish of motorized individual transport”. Echoing the warning labels on cigarette packs, Gruner creates an alternative reality in which drastic warnings are emblazoned on car doors, bumpers, and hoods: “Driving endangers your environment” , “This vehicle can kill” , “CO₂ is the new nicotine” .
The Darmstadt-based artist criticizes society's selective approach to risks and asks why we warn on cigarette packs but remain blind when it comes to mobility.
Satirical, political, and visually impressive,
the exhibition can be seen from April 25 to May 24, 2025, at Die Schmiere , Frankfurt's oldest cabaret cellar. It opens one hour before each evening's performance – current schedules can be found on the theater's website: www.die-schmiere.de . Admission is free.
A catalogue has been published to accompany the exhibition and is available at the theater or directly from Justus von Liebig Verlag . Titled "Cars Are Deadly!" , it's a satirical manifesto in print. Individual images from the exhibition are also available as art prints upon request.
The artist: Paul Hermann Gruner.
Paul Hermann Gruner, born in 1959, has lived in Darmstadt since 1982. The historian, political scientist, and linguist, who holds doctorates in both history and linguistics, is one of the most prominent satirists in southern Hesse. Since the 1980s, he has exhibited his objects, installations, and montages. His work is characterized by political engagement, linguistic precision, and subtle wit. As an author, he has published satires, short stories, and novels, and is a member of PEN Germany and the Hessian branch of the Association of German Writers (VS).
With his new exhibition, Gruner provides a satirical food for thought on the role of the car in our society – politically charged, visually pointed, and highly topical in society.
Tip: The Schmiere celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2025 – a visit to the exhibition can be wonderfully combined with an evening of cabaret. The traditional theater in the Carmelite monastery in Frankfurt's old town is known for its provocative, humorous, and political programs.
More information about the artist: www.phgruner.de
Theater & opening hours: www.die-schmiere.de
