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Artist statement
Juergen Sarge: Kohle
‘Kohle’ is the German word for coal, but it is also a vernacular reference to ‘money’.
Over the past two years I have been regularly visiting four villages: Manheim, Immerath, Morschenich, Luetzerath and Hambacher Forst, an adjacent ancient forest near my hometown Cologne. I go there to photograph the state of their homes and buildings following evictions, their gradual demolition and the wholescale destruction of these villages. At the same time I am taking photographs of the brown coal fields that are now developing on their site.
Despite the urgency of current debates over environmental pollution, bio-diversity and global climate change, RWE Germany’s second largest power company continues to succeed in gaining authorisation for establishing massive opencast brown coal mining plants in the area occupied by these four villages and the ancient forest. As of today, 90% of the villages have already lost their homes due to eviction and have been relocated, the forest is temporarily safe-guarded due to a recent court decision.
Meanwhile, both debates and demolitions are on-going.
The selection of photographs presented here represent an emotional dialog between myself and the situation / environment I am encountering. (Juergen Sarge)
Biography
1978-1979: Studies Photography, Darkroom Technique / FOS Cologne / Isolde Luckert
1978-1980: Studies Painting / FOS Cologne / Pablo Karge
1981-1987: Studies Art, Visual Communication, Photography / FH Cologne (formerly “Kölner Werkschulen”) / Prof. Hans Buschfeld /
1987: Diploma
1986-1987: Academic Tutor / FH Cologne / Design
1987-1991: Creative Director / Agfa / Bonn, Germany
1991-present: CO / Agency: Sarge Gestaltung & Realisation GmbH / Cologne / Corporate design, advertising and photography for various international companies.
Juergen Sarge lives and works in Cologne, Germany.
To find out more about Juergen Sarge, click here: www.juergensarge.com
This exhibition was supported by the Local Government of Ferencváros District (Budapest Főváros IX. Kerület Ferencváros Önkormányzata).
