A neologism, a revolt and its incalculable consequences: Brexit. Never before has a member state of the EU withdrawn from the Union, the aftermath of such a political shift cannot be foreseen. However, the sentiments of a country that has always felt both very close and very distant suddenly become tangible.

The Fotogalerie Friedrichshain is showing a group of photographic works that confront the withdrawal of Great Britain from the European Union. Eight photographers and students of the Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie in Berlin present multifaceted and idiosyncratic visions of the recent and abstract political occurrence that is Brexit.

Uli Kaufmann engages with the everyday life of the English metropolis that moves on seemingly oblivious of all change, whilst Linus Muellerschoen captures a dystopian vision of public space completely devoid of human life. Sebastian Wells and Miguel Brusch examine concrete places: Wells pictures anecdotes from the former mining town of Wigan, now host to the highest percentage of ‘Leave’ voters in Greater Manchester; Brusch on the other hand approaches the coastal city of Blackpool, whose inhabitants drift between the amusement industry and decay. Lars Bösch presents a sober, accounting view of Manchester’s building projects that were realised with the help of EU aid money. Anna Szkoda confronts the viewer with portraits of the generation that wasn’t allowed to have a say in the vote for Brexit, but will be carrying its consequences, whilst Annemie Martin traces the current climate amongst the students at British universities. Bastian Thierry presents an empathetic and subjective impression of his own generation and the world they inhabit in his series “M1 1AA”.

Artist websites / instagram:
Lars Bösch, Miguel Brusch, Uli Kaufmann, Annemie Martin, Linus Muellerschoen, Anna Szkoda, Bastian Thiery, Sebastian Wells

The project was realised with support from the Klaus-Stemmler-Stiftung and Linn Schröder, Werner Mahler and Ludwig Rauch, lecturers at the Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie.

For further details please visit the project website:
www.brexit.ostkreuzschule.de

Framework program

Thursday, March 8, 2018, 7 pm
TALK / Roundtable Discussion on „Imagery in times of political change“
The talk will be held in English.

with
Miriam Zlobinski // curator and visual historian
Robin Maddock // photographer
Michael Grieve // photographer, writer
Tobias Kruse // photographer, OSTKREUZ Agentur der Fotografen

March 2 — 16, 2018
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 1, 7 pm
Roundtable Discussion (details see above): Thursday, March 8, 7 pm
Facebook Event (Opening)
Facebook Event (Talk)

Fotogalerie Friedrichshain

Helsingforser Platz 1, 10243 Berlin
[Friedrichshain | Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg]

Opening hours: Tue – Sat 2 – 6 pm, Thu 10 am – 8 pm

Admission free