Original Wolfen, 2009

Series of 9 Photographies, C-Prints, 72 x 90 cm and 90 x 72 cm, 1 digital Print, 100 x 70 cm,  Edition of 5 + 2 A.P.

1 of 5 Artist Books, Edition of 13 + 2 A.P.

„Original Wolfen“ is part of the „archive of abandoned buildings“, a work on structural legacies of the GDR who lost their functions after the German reunification. Nowadays, the objects are in state of neglect or preservation. Five buildings of the series „The Chamber“, „Original Wolfen“, „Guesthouse of the Ministery of GDR“, „ZEHA special sports footwear Hohenleuben“ and „VEB combine for baked goods Saalfeld“ are united in a photographic image archive so far. This archive is an attempt to preserve them from vanishing completely from the cultural memory.

In 1909, the Actien Gesellschaft for Anilin-Fabrikation (AGFA) in Wolfen founded a film factory which became the biggest producer of roll film in the 1920s. Developed in Wolfen in 1936, the product Agfa-Color-Neu is based on the basic principle of multilayer colour film, which is used in the production of colour films to date.

During First and Second World War the factory procuded special films for airspace and was integrated in war economy. In 1949, after the division of Germany AGFA moved the factory to Leverkusen and stopped the production in Wolfen. In 1964, a new factory was founded in the GDR by the name ORWO, Original Wolfen, which was oriented on the East European market.

Highly sensitiv colour films, black-and-white material, reversal films, photographic paper, kine films and sound films were produced until 1994.

Because of the development of digital photography the pictures of this series are a memorial in a double twist: for the loss of the company ORWO and for the vanishing of analogue photography.