Tiny city garden 2022
In my project, I am primarily investigating the relationship of city dwellers to nature and its cultivation, protection and care in urban areas. The topic of ecology and climate change is becoming increasingly important. Allotment gardens, like other forms of urban gardening, could be forward-looking when it comes to making cities liveable. For example, the gardens reduce noise and dust, offer plenty of greenery, improve the microclimate and are within walking or cycling distance of the user's home.
They also support families, allow children to play freely in nature and adults to relax after work. Everyone can integrate into clubs and communities and get involved with meaningful work in the garden or as a volunteer.
Flying house 2022
Tiny house in a city allotment garden today: Allotment gardeners are as diverse as our society. Instead of pensioners, young families and migrants are increasingly to be found in what was once considered a stuffy milieu. 54% of new gardeners in Germany are organic. According to the magazine “Brand Eins”, the former self-sufficient garden has now moved up into the league of the top 10 status symbols and in many large cities you can wait up to 5 years for a plot. A major social change is quietly taking place here, both socially and ecologically.
Note: The text above was written by the Artist. No modification was made by COCA.
Lu Mazen
Germany
I am a photo artist from Munich and the Black Forest. Identity, memory and the everyday are central to my work. Places, landscape, nature and man-made objects characterize my work.
After studying at top universities in Germany, UK and Canada (MPhil) I did master classes with ICP, Magnum, Oeildeep and Arles, Summer Academy Salzburg, residency at the NY School of Visual Arts. I have participated in international festivals such as Format & Reclaim/UK or Kuala Lumpur as well as at galleries such as Ingo Seufert Munich, f3 Berlin, Galerie Litvai Landshut or Tina Goncalvez in Portugal; In cultural centers in Mexico and Portugal, at Taylor Wessing in Munich, at a projection at the Fondation Manuel Rivera-Ortiz in Arles. Since 2022, exhibitions in US galleries Real Tinsel, Milwaukee or Satchel Projects and Studio 9D in New York. I was Bronze Award Winner at Px3/Paris, finalist at Premio Arte Laguna, Premio Celeste , Premio Lynx , The Julia Cameron Gala Award, Swiss Foto Club Award and more