A river runs blue as nature takes root once more – the rehabilitation of the River Emscher clearly has an ecological objective, but it will also transform the living and working environment of the entire Emscher valley. Implementing this facelift will take all of 30 years.
What exactly is taking place during this time? What does the Emscher regeneration and the development of the Emscher valley mean for the people that live here?
The photographic study dealing with the transformation of the river and the wider environment is giving tangible expression to the wishes, memories and visions behind the scientific and technical aspects of water management. Photography has the capacity to document, comment, concentrate and communicate – and it will therefore play a significant part in the planning process.
The collection created by the photography project will capture the pictorial stimuli and standpoints that have influenced the process of planning and design in the Emscher valley. By the end of the Emscher regeneration process in 2020, the results of the photographic study will have revealed a parallel landscape: one comprising recollections, visions and wishes – the tangible and the intangible.
Art as the means and the bridge: A transitional realm
For the Emscher Cooperative – the body behind the initiative – the photography project is a critical component in the cultural dialogue. We are not only inviting photographers to get involved in the "Emscher Zukunft" photography project: the results of the project must challenge all citizens, planners, politicians and companies to engage with the transformation of the Emscher region through the medium of photography.
For this reason, there are two components to the photography project: the photography award and the project dialogue. The award is aimed at photographers who wish to contribute their work to the collection; the project dialogue involves developing and engaging with the photography project as an interdisciplinary platform.
All interested parties are welcome to get involved and help to shape the future of the photography project through project dialogue.
