Shared Matter

Shared Matter #1: Sites of Struggle.

Depicting diverse realities is a political act; representation is never neutral. As bell hooks articulated, it is a contested site—particularly when it comes to portraying people and their lived experiences. This entails a special responsibility toward the subjects: photography has the power to make visible what might otherwise be overlooked, while simultaneously shaping how things are perceived.

Guided by these considerations, students from the Mathildenhöhe Department of Design—participating in Prof. Sara Maierhofer’s seminar "Sites of Struggle"—explored how to tell stories about lived realities other than their own. In doing so, they navigated a complex terrain: the space between closeness and distance, empathy and projection, intimacy and voyeurism.

The resulting works approach photography as a dialogic practice—a way of engaging with people, places, and the dynamic unfolding between the camera and the subject. The photographs on display are the outcome of this contact, treating the encounter not merely as a prerequisite, but as a method in itself.

Starting July 17, the G10 exhibition space transforms into an open production area—a place for exchange where the exhibition’s own creation process becomes visible. The opening takes place on July 17, and the exhibition runs until July 26, 2026.

Participating Artists

Jana Bender, Charly Burfeind, Berkin Dündar, Quinn Heyne, Johannes Gärtner, Sarah Sophie Radloff, Maren Schröder, and Anastasiya Sultanova