Left Behind - but not forgotten

Description of the project
The work Left Behind - but not forgotten is dealing with urban areas in Serbia which have a German origin because of the Donauschwaben. The Donauschwaben are members of a population group which was located in the Vojvodina (Serbia) since the 18th century. In the end of the Second World War they lost their civil rights, their individual liberty and were displaced. A lot of them got murdered.

The initial point of this project is the personal experiences and memories of my grandfather who is a Donauschwabe.

During my journey to Serbia, Vojvodina, an interpreter attended me to get the possibility of a close and private look in the ordinary life of the residents and to get the possibility of discovering still visible places of fragments of German culture like for example a catholic church, an old rectory, the cemetery or the former house of my grandfather.

I photographed the present situation in the Vojvodina in an documentary way. One the one hand the photographs are describing the disappearance of the Donauschwaben, the decline of their culture and abandonment. On the other hand the photographs are showing the ordinary life of the residents today. These residents are basically Serbs, Hungarians and Gipsy.

The destiny of the Donauschwaben is a subject which sink into oblivion. The cultural belonging to home is only very rudimental recognizable. But still the difficulty of minorities in multi-ethnic states, the destiny of political refugees, the decline of population are ongoing issues of our society.

About the artist
1985 born in May 25th in New-Ulm, Germany
Nationality German

Education
2011 Studying Abroad Hunter College New York, USA, Fine Art Photography
2009 to date University of the Arts Berlin, Germany, Visual Communication
2006 - 2009 Apprenticeship as a photographer, Stadt Ulm, Germany
1996 - 2005 Kepler Gymnasium, Ulm, Germany
Secondary School, Major: Art
General Qualification for University entrance (Abitur)

Work Experience
2010 to date Assistance Matthias Krüger Photography, Berlin, Germany
2009 to date Assistance Victor S. Brigola Photography, Berlin, Germany
2006 to 2009 Assistance Photodesign Armin Buhl, Ulm, Germany

Awards
2010 CIO Berlin CloseUp! Berlinale 2010
2007 German Federal Award of the 54th European Competition, Equality

Exhibitions
2010 After the Show, Stadthaus Ulm, Germany, Solo Exhibition
2010 After the Show, CIO Berlin, Germany, Group Show


About been out, vol. 1
been out, vol. 1 is an all-arts competition for young artists exploring the parameters of art in the generation of digital natives. In these times of cross media and viral marketing, the open competition been out, vol. 1, organised by Bohème Précaire in cooperation with 2010LAB.tv, questions the art of the digital natives. Do they still know the meaning of art? Is there still a trade based on art?

According to the free-associating motto “go out, be out, include the outside”, the applicants should question and revalue the gridlocked meanings of urbanity, arts, architecture, and private and public sphere.

kunst.labor is the online-gallery of been out, vol. 1.
Further information: www.bohemeprecaire.com
And: www.facebook/beenout