index.kollektiv - the new normal

This project is about changes in work and everyday life caused by the covid-19-pandemic in the lives of different persons in Europe.

In collaboration, we want to give people, whose lives have been turned 180 degrees, the space and the opportunity to be seen and to share their experiences.

The pictures show people in their private or professional environment – the fusion of workplace, private and study space. To give a more personal insight, we used different visual strategies. We worked with handwritten text, audio and qutoes from interviews. The project started in May 2021 and was made in cooperation between Carmen Körner and Cynthia Ruf.

Susanne, 60, works in a psychosomatic clinic. During the lockdown, she and her colleagues had to work much longer hours and parts of the ward had to be temporarily closed due to staff shortages. Söldlingen, Germany

Riccardo, 26, photographer and videographer, had many job cancellations due to the lockdown. Mannheim, Germany

The figure was a gift from friends who brought it with them on their travels. They were Riccardo's only constant during the lockdown.

Manjiao, 24, finds it difficult to get in touch with other students in the photography studies. Because of the contact restrictions, she has only been able to improve her German slowly so far. Essen, Germany

Inge, 82, suffers from Alzheimer's and keeps memories in a small box. She does not understand the new situation, but wears a mask anyway. Wössingen, Germany

Lilli, 18, got her Abitur in 2021. She was not in the school building for six months previously. Untergrombach, Germany

Tanja, 28, had to take on two additional jobs during the lockdown in order to finance her studies and her shared room in Karlsruhe.

Magali's stuffed teddy bear has accompanied her all her life, even through the pandemic. Karlsruhe, Germany

Henning, 27, event technician and environmental activist, in the community garden in Dortmund's Nordtstadt.

Johanna, 16, had almost exclusively home schooling in the school year 2020/21. This also included the whole preparation for the Abitur. Mannheim, Germany.