“CONTINENT – In Search of Europe” shows photographs by the 22 members of the Berlin-based agency OSTKREUZ examining the European living space and its people. The groups of work were specially created for the exhibition over the past eight years. They explore the question of how the European continent and its population’s coexistence may be shaped and evolve in the future. Personal, social, and political aspects of togetherness are taken into account from a perspective that is critical while remaining empathetic. The images transport their viewers to various regions of the continent – be it the South of France, the Norwegian forests, the banking district of London, industrial areas of Sicily, the German-Polish border, or the rivers of Europe.

While many of the works focus on entire towns or religious communities, some photographers also portray the fate of individuals. The diverse realities of life in Europe are reflected in the thematic range of the presented works. They deal with the pressing issues of our time: Questions of identity, security, migration, and integration as well as humanism, democracy, and freedom of opinion. Time and again, the artists’ gaze circles back to the past and European history – often under the influence of personal experience and family memories, which serve as a starting point for their photographic research.