PORTRAITS OF INVISIBLE PLACES
In “Portraits of Invisible Places”, we will take you on a journey to 10 very interesting towns in the former GDR. This is a work in progress and will end up as our first fully audio/visual album in spring of 2025.
short video about the project
(See more videos about the towns in "Dokus")
The towns:
Hoyerswerda - "Rainbows in Hoywoy"
Planstadt, Coal Industry, Gundermann, and the horrible riots in ’91 - Hoyerswerda is associated with many things, but mostly the last one. What we found in Hoyerswerda, was a town with many friendly people and a lot of rainbows - hanging over the main squares, in the denkmal for the riot in ‘91, on park benches etc. We met a town that was able to own and talk about a difficult past, and who is now trying to look towards the future. We met people who worked hard to change things during a very difficult time in the 90s, who created new places and opportunities for the youth. These people deserve a lot of respect.This is what “Rainbows in Hoywoy” is about.
Deuben is a former coal-mining-village, not far from where we live. “The Last Hearts Made of Coal” is written from a woman’s perspective. The song depicts the worry that is always present when she sends her husband to work in the mine - but also the acceptance and love of the life in a coal village. The song is a tribute to the generations of coal-families, that lived in harsh conditions, and through their common purpose created a tight-knit and meaningful culture. As we move forward to new energy-sources, we also say goodbye to an entire chapter of coal-culture, that has existed for many decades. The change may be necessary, but for the people with “hearts of coal”, letting go of this chapter may be like saying a final goodbye to a beloved friend.
Deuben - "The last hearts made of coal"
Zeitz - "Temporary Home"
In “Temporary Home”, we imagine floating around above Zeitz, seing the town through past and present. The sight of the once lively town, compared with the empty streets of today, may be a little disheartening to some - but our intention is, that the comparison could inspire hope for the future in Zeitz. We tried to capture the beauty and poetry in the town, which we find very special.
“Temporary Home” is a tribute to all the people who have lived in Zeitz over the years. It shows what Zeitz once was, and what it is now. What it will be in the future, is up to the people who call Zeitz their home today.