Construction Site

Berlin – Entering the Construction Site

The idea of an imaginary inspection of a construction site emerged during my frequent absences from Berlin, at a time when the city was undergoing rapid transformation. I wanted to capture the fascination brought about by constant change and make tangible what unfolded in front of amazed eyes.
By entering the photographic reproductions of these out-of-place locations, I feel them, despite the distance, under my feet, and do not simply view them, as an opposite of documents, on a wall: they literally carry me.
The pictures become the basis of a multi-layered event, characterized by unconventional rhythms, which unfold in the sharp juxtaposition of the most diverse views and inspire the imagination of the beholder.
I am no photographer, but always have a compact camera with me; it does not travel to specific locations, but passes here and there and leaves things to chance. Following this casual approach, cheap commercial printing has been used and the respective photographs enlarged to the largest size – 75 x 50 cm – available by way of this service. Still, no photograph exists twice and each has been used as is, irrespective of its quality.

The photographs were taken between December 1997 and October 1998 and show random views of walks around Berlin under construction.

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