The “Memory Lab: Photography Challenges History” opens in Martin-Gropius-Bau on 16 October 2014
…in frames of 6. Europaische Monat der Fotografie (Berlin) / European Month of Photography network
The exhibition explores how do photographers and artists today represent historical events, defining cultural characteristics and the changes they undergo, and social relations? How is memory formulated, and how do we resist forgetting?
Over the past two decades, a type of photography has established itself that openly rejects the long-prevailing principles of documentary photography and photojournalism. The photographers counter strategies based on objectivity and objective visualisation with an emotionally charged eye. The operative factor here is a professional, deliberate gaze that is also investigative and open to fascination.
The artists selected by the Month of Photography Berlin together with the European partner cities for the joint exhibition Memory Lab seek to stir things up with their images, to involve the viewer. They want to break history open and analyze it with emotional competence. They work in essay form, developing photographic series and narrative videos.