Photographs: OSTKREUZ about the seven-year itch

At Ufer­hal­len, the seventh year of the OSTKREUZSCHULE shows their gra­dua­ti­on artwork

In the 19^th cen­tu­ry, the first hor­se-drawn tram was based here, later the BVG had their bus­ses and trams wai­ting here – and now 25 gra­dua­tes of the OSTKREUZSCHULE for pho­to­gra­phy exhi­bit their art in a coll­ec­ti­ve exhi­bi­ti­on at “Ufer­hal­len” in Wedding.

After eigh­te­en months of inde­pen­dent pre­pa­ra­ti­on for this big day, the three pho­to­gra­phy clas­ses of Dr. Prof. Ute Mahler, Sibyl­le Fendt and Tho­mas Sand­berg show their art­work in an exhi­bi­ti­on titled SIEBEN, or seven.

The exhi­bi­ti­on, howe­ver, is not focu­sing on the seven-year itch – the title just refers to the seventh year of gra­dua­tes: the OSTKREUZSCHULE was foun­ded seven years ago by Tho­mas Sand­berg and Wer­ner Mahler. 25 very indi­vi­du­al view-points to very dif­fe­rent sub­jects are being pro­trai­ed at “Ufer­hal­len” now, con­nec­ted through the “abso­lu­te will to crea­te images, to show what we see and how we see it”, accor­ding to the intro­duc­tion in the exhi­bi­ti­on cata­log. The pho­to­graph­ers “went on a per­so­nal jour­ney” to catch what moves them. The results are pro­fes­sio­nal black-and-white and colo­red pho­to­graphs: Por­traits, still lives, scenic shots and indus­tri­al pho­to­gra­phy which go in line with the OSTKREUZSCHULE’s expec­ta­ti­ons towards an “artis­tic dia­log with rea­li­ty, media­ted by pro­fi­led and indi­vi­du­al imaging”.

One reason for choo­sing “Ufer­hal­len” for this exhi­bi­ti­on (after years in Ber­lin-Mit­te and Kreuz­berg) were the increased ren­tal cos­ts in other are­as of Ber­lin. As part of their edu­ca­ti­on, the pho­to­graph­ers have to fund and orga­ni­ze the exhi­bi­ti­on on their own, the­r­e­fo­re a com­pa­ra­b­ly cheap space was nee­ded. The opti­cal charm and the loca­ti­on of “Ufer­hal­len” in art­sy Wed­ding were fur­ther incen­ti­ves, though.

The exhi­bi­ti­on is open until the 8^th of Novem­ber. During this time, SIEBEN can be visi­ted Mon-Fri bet­ween 2 and 9 p.m., on weekends from mid­day until 9 p.m. The end of the exhi­bi­ti­on will be cele­bra­ted with a lec­tu­re and a par­ty on the 8^th of November.

After­wards, the pho­to­graphs lea­ve “Ufer­hal­len” and the artists have to enter the artis­tic dia­log with rea­li­ty wit­hout the sup­port of their Alma Mater. Who knows, may­be some day some of the pho­to­graph­ers will return to “Ufer­hal­len” with new exhibitions…
Aut­hor: Julia Grosse-Heitmeyer

Links (in German):

http://www.sieben-ausstellung.de/

http://www.ostkreuzschule.de/

http://www.uferhallen.de/

Trans­la­ti­on: Danie­la Hombach

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