Arne Piepke

Concept

A journey through rural areas of Germany, in search for an unusual, alternative and tragicomic view on my home country.
For me, Germany seems unfamiliar. After my youth in the province, I moved to Germany’s largest metropolitan region. In my previous home area, many people identify strongly through traditions and history; something that I could not find in the milieus of the larger cities. These differences gave me a feeling of being in between. I became aware that I could not define my home country and that much is unknown to me.

I want to rediscover this country, examine the unnoticed and the overseen, let myself be surprised—track down Germany and find out what it has to tell. I look for occasions where people escape from their everyday life, identify with traditions and history and thus take on roles, dress up or stage themselves. Moments that we, as outsiders to these communities, hardly notice, are lined up to form a tragicomic narrative of Germany.

Vita

Arne Piepke (1991) is a documentary and portrait photographer who grew up in a small village in Germany.
He questions how people find their identity and how they are influenced by their environment and history. With his photo essays he wants to provide an alternative and surprising view, to contribute to a deeper examination and thus to a better mutual understanding. He is a founding member of DOCKS Collective.

CV (selection)
Awards/mentions
2021
Tisseurs d’images - Influences festival
Odesa Photo Days
2020
Winner Photo Annual Student Work
Finalist Prix 6Mois du photojournalisme
Finalist CDS Documantary Essay Prize
Finalist Kaunas Photo Star Award
Finalist New Visions - Cortona on the Move
Shortlist Portrait of Humanity
Winner of PDNedu Student Contest
follow up - project funding recipient
2019
Winner of Student World Report Award
shortlisted for LUCIE Foundation scholarship
Athen Photo Festival Photobook Show
selected for NY Portfolio Reviews
shortlisted for Kolga Tbilisi Photo
2018
Finalist of W. Eugene Smith Student Grant
Winner of PDN Emerging Photographer
Winner of PDNedu Student Contest
shortlisted for Kolga Tbilisi Photo
2017
Nominee Photogrvphy Grant
shortlisted for Felix Schoeller Award
shortlisted for LUCIE Foundation scholarship
Nominee for Kolga Newcomer Award

Exhibitions/Screenings:
2021
Dortmund Brueckstr. - The Longest Night - Besondere Zeiten
Tisseurs d’images - Influences festival
2020
Kaunas Photo Festival, Lithuania
2019
Visa Pour l’Image Screening, France
Kuenstlerhaus Dortmund, DOCKS encounters, Germany
Festival della Fotografia Etica, Italy
“identity courage love” Düsseldorf Photoweekend, Germany
2018
Kolga Tbilisi Photo, Georgia

Publications
Le Monde, Der SPIEGEL, SOCIETY, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, FAZ Woche, Tortoise, ZEIT online,
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