Arne is a documentary photographer who grew up in a small village in Germany. He deals with social issues and the people‘s connection to history and their surroundings. With his photo-essays he wants to raise questions that follow the viewer and contribute to an examination of the topics and thus to a better mutual understanding.
Below, he talks about his inspirations and career:
My projects usually have a personally motivated starting point. With my photo essays I want to question how people find their identity and how they are influenced by their environment and history. I am fascinated by what people identify with and how they take on and play certain roles based on tradition. Tradition is a major theme in my work. I want to explore how traditions are interpreted and practised in a contemporary way, and how this contributes to collective identities.
I see myself as a documentary and author photographer. Photography is for me to reflect and learn about certain topics. I want to visualise my experiences and provide an opportunity for deeper exploration.
I have been working for some time on my essay ‘Anecdotes from an unfamiliar Land’ which I had to pause because of the pandemic. Due to the changed circumstances, I have started a new project with a colleague from my collective DOCKS.
Last year was of course very challenging. Many things that were planned had to be paused. But new opportunities also arose. I am glad that I can continue to work on free projects. However, I very much hope that there will soon be more opportunities for exchange again. It has become clear that digital alternatives are not the solution for everything in our industry.
I hope I can work on my long-term essay again in the summer. Until then, I'm working on something else that relates to the current situation.
