The OSTKREUZ Blog-Team whish you a very happy new year!
© Maurice Weiss/OSTKREUZ
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Happy New Year
31.12.2009 | | Miscellaneous -
...in Moscow
21.12.2009 | | On the roadDear reader,
we apologize that we are only able to offer this post in German.
Please use one of the translation programs on the internet (e.g. Google Transator) to translate the text into English.
Your sincerely,
The Ostkreuz blog team
Hallo, heute melde ich von der letzten Station meiner Reise, Moskau. Es ist grau und kalt und es schneit. Aber die meiste Zeit bin ich sowieso unter Tage, den ich fotografiere in der Metro von Moskau, die zu den berühmtesten weltweit zählt. Das glaube ich sofort. Ihre Architektur ist einfach überwältigend.
© Frank Schinski/OSTKREUZ
Sergej, der Fotograf in Moskau ist, hat mir assistiert. Ohne wäre es fast unmöglich gewesen zu den Bildern zu kommen. Die meisten Moskwitschi erscheinen mir ziemlich misstrauisch und niemand spricht wirklich englisch.
am aller wenigsten die Security. Sascha hatte ihn mir empfohlen
Achja: Ich habe bei Sascha und seiner Familie übernachtet. Sie waren sehr sehr nett. Er ist ein Freund von Andrej Krementschouk, total fotobegeistert und Architekt.
Die Stadt hinterlässt auf mich einen »harten« Eindruck, mitunter trifft man Bettler, die nicht nach einem oder zwei Euro fragen, sondern gleich fünf Euro haben möchten.
Was soll ich sagen, zwiegespalten,
der Frank -
Palace of the Republic
18.12.2009 | | "Radfahrer"Christoph Wilde: Hello Harald. You took the following image from our archive during the deconstruction of the Palast der Republik ('Palace of the Republic') in 2008. The building had been constructed by the East-German SED regime as a so-called "Volksheim" (Peoples' home) in 1976, served as cultural center and hosted the East-German parliament. As a result of the long lasting discussion about the future development of its remains, the Berliner Stadtschloss (Berlin's old castle, which was blasted by the SED regime in 1959 which regarded it as a symbol of Prussian absolutism) will be reconstructed.
© Harald Hauswald/OSTKREUZ
Although the Palace of the Republic was highly contaminated with asbestos, it couwd have been renovated without totally deconstructing it. The German left-wing party, Die Linke, as well as the green party, Die Grünen (and also some citizens' initiatives) have been opting for its preservation. What is your attitude in this discussion?
Harald Hauswald: I'm pretty unemotional about it. It wasn't very beautiful but okay for use.
CW: This image reminds me of another you took and which could be seen in the OSTZEIT exhibition. It shows the government convoi of the former GDR passing a sign on which is written "Long live Marxism - Leninism!" There are certain parallels between the two photographs. Are they accidental or intentional?
HH: One probably carries certain pictures inside which eventually emerge in other photographs, there is a indeed a certain similarity.
CW: Have you been inside the palace during any of the many concerts or events? If so, which impression did you have the first time you entered?
HH: I was there quite often for events but also at the bowling center, the food was pretty good there. My impression: It really was "Erich's lamp shop".
CW: Thank you, Harald. -
Ushuaia – Youth at the end of the world
15.12.2009 | | On the roadAfter two weeks in Ushuaia, the most Southern city of the world on Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, I am leaving the city today with a backpack full of undeveloped film rolls. I look forward to spending a few days in Buenos Aires without having to wear warm socks, after which I will return to the freezing German winter.
© Jörg Brüggemann/OSTKREUZ
In 1975 Bruce Chatwin wrote in his classic travel novel "In Patagonia" that Ushuaia is a childless city with residents whose faces have turned blue from the cold and who cast unfriendly glances at strangers. Today the blue faces are still there, as the climate on Tierra del Fuego has not become more pleasant in the last thirty years. Ushuaia is, however, neither childless nor are its residents unfriendly anymore. Shortlyy after Chatwin’s visit a free trade zone was established which led to fast urban development. Whereas in 1975 there were 7000 people living in Ushuaia, today it hosts nearly 60 000 inhabitants. Most of them are young families which arrived from the north of Argentina looking for work and with them thousands of children who now crowd Ushuaia’s streets and parks.
The young people shape the face of the city and they are also the reason why I came here to take pictures. I wanted to know what it was like being young while living at the end of the world.
© Jörg Brüggemann/OSTKREUZ
Rarely have I ever been welcomed so openly and friendly like here in Ushuaia and it was interesting to witness that globalization has also reached the end of the world. Like everywhere else, young people in Ushuaia spend a lot of time in front of their computers, hang out with friends at skate parks or play in rock bands. I do not know what Bruce Chatwin would have thought about this development but I have certainly felt a little bit at home.
Nevertheless it is time to say goodbye, as my plane is arriving. Hasta La Proxima, Ushuaia. -
Christmas market
04.12.2009 | | "Radfahrer"Hello Harald, the second Sunday of Advent is approaching and the Christmas markets in Germany have been open for some time. In keeping with the season, I have chosen one of your pictures from our database which shows a merry-go-round at the Christmas market at Dircksenstrasse in Berlin-Mitte.
© Harald Hauswald/OSTKREUZ
When I saw the picture I was a little bit confused, as it shows children sitting in tanks. Not exactly the first thing one associates with Christmas. What do you think?
Harald Hauswald: I was confused, too, and had to photograph other merry-go-round figures as well so that my interest in the tanks wouldn't be so obvious.
CW: Was this an exception or did militarization pervade everyday life?
HH: I saw the tanks in two following years on the merry-go-round but after I showed the photograph at exhibitions and the "Workshop for Peace" the tanks were gone. Militarization pervaded the whole society but it was rarely that extreme.
CW: You did military service yourself. Is this time reflected in your photographic development? And if so, how is it reflected?
HH: It did influence my life in some way, in fact it made me realise that the gap between aspiration and reality was much greater than I thought, especially in the army. This realisation made me perhaps a little bit more sensitive to certain contents.
CW: Thank you, Harald. -
...from London.
03.12.2009 | | On the roadI did fly from Istanbul directly to London. I'm here for a few days now and all the time I'm out, taking pictures. My main hunting grounds are the Heathrow Airport and the "tube".
© Frank Schinski/OSTKREUZ
After nearly two weeks „on the road“ I'm a little worn out. The speaker announcements "All unattended luggage will be removed and destroyed" and "mind the gap between the door and the platform" make me cringe. I just can't hear them anymore. Photography is also much more difficult here than in Istanbul. People are not eager at all, to become a part in the history of photography through my pictures. And I have to mention it: the weather is typical English ...
But the coin got an other side as well. I did reunite with old friends. They welcomed me and gave me a home for several days. And they have brought closer to me the intricacies of English cuisine.
But right now I am happy to go home for a few days. Next week I will travel to Moscow and I have to prepare for that. So long. -
Jörg Colberg - A personal selection
02.12.2009 | | MiscellaneousWe are pleased to announce that Jörg Colberg has presented a variety of reports from our database in a personal selection on his blog "Conscientious". "Conscientious" is one of the most prestigious photo blogs on the World Wide Web. The personal collection is divided into two posts. You will find the first entry here and the second one here.
Screenshot: http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/
