Gathering, Timing, Learning

05. 2026
Photography, transparent paper print, layered photography, artist zine (NORD lichter)

Concept

This work was created in collaboration with the artist zine NORD lichter, an independent publication developed in the context of Essen-Nord.

The photographs were taken around the former church building that now houses our university. I printed these images onto transparent paper, layered multiple prints, and re-photographed them to create a new image.

Although the church architecture has largely remained unchanged, the building now serves a completely different purpose. This transformation led me to think about the relationship between history and the present, as well as how a place continuously acquires new meanings through the people who inhabit it.

Since studying here, I have spent a great deal of time in Essen-Nord. What impressed me most is the coexistence of different cultures, languages, and everyday lives. At first glance these differences appear fragmented, yet they naturally exist alongside one another and together shape the identity of the neighborhood.

By layering transparent photographs, I aim to visualize this experience. Different places, perspectives, and moments overlap while remaining partially visible, forming images that reflect the district’s multiple histories and cultural layers.

Rather than focusing on the church itself, the work is ultimately about the people, memories, and cultural influences that collectively construct a place.