REFUGE
In 2015, more than one million refugees entered Germany, most of them fleeing from war-torn Syria. In response, a number of German households opened their homes to the newcomers. Refuge (2017-2019) is a series of tableau photographs that re-envisions the representation of refugees, countering the images widely seen in the media portraying them in large crowds, devoid of individuality, and immiserated.
Wanting to explore the integration of refugees on an interpersonal and intercultural level, I photographed Germans and migrants who had decided to live together under one roof: foster families who had taken in a minor, couples who were in romantic relationships, and flats that were shared by roommates, refugees and natives. In these mixed habitats, Germans and refugees agreed to share a home and negotiate their differences in habits, food, culture, and religion. Emphasizing togetherness rather than otherness, Refuge provides a counter-point to the “us versus them” narrative.
As a photographer, I position myself at eye-level with my subjects. I consider them collaborators rather than passive sitters, and I fold their stories into the narrative of the images. Central to my process is the staging of the images: by adding a theatrical dimension through my directorial approach, I transform their homes into a stage. I use Brecht’s “alienation effect” as a point of reference: the theatricality of the pictures enables viewers to distance themselves from the images and ask questions about issues such as identity and belonging.
