Nicht in Mitte / not in the middle. 2014
Decay is an image for the questionable way of how our modern society deals with its own history: It gives evidence of the fast- moving nature of today, its brittleness and the suppression processes, i.e. of the human unwillingness to establish and preserve a fair and critical view on history.
The places of decay, tell stories of men that used to fill them with life, of habits and customs, of happiness and suffering, which used to shape the character of these places before their decline. The character is still vivid in this state of abandonment and shines in a magic glamour of past times.
Herr Voigt und Freunde / Mr. Voigt and friends. 2014
The photo was taken in Zeitz 2014.
Mr. Voigt lives with his friends in a nursing home in Zeitz. They worked in this small town all their lives. More than half of the population left the city since 1990.
There are many empty buildings. They are slowly demolished.
Note: The text above was written by the Artist. No modification was made by C.O.C.A.
Hassan J. Richter was born in Arnstadt/Thüringen on 20th March 1969. After his Abitur, he became a road and traffic technology specialist, but he continuously also worked as a photographer. Since 2007, he has only been working as an artist photographer. Hassan J. Richter focuses on the topic of “decay and decline”. Decay is an image for the questionable way of how our modern society deals with its own history: It gives evidence of the fast- moving nature of today, its brittleness and the suppression processes, i.e. of the human unwillingness to establish and preserve a fair and critical view on history.