Verschwiegen (Secluded)
“The forests are silent. But they are not mute.” Erich Kästner
If you follow the narrow animal trails through what appears to be an impenetrable tangle of wild clematis, shrubs, and fallen trees, the forest begins to reveal its hidden scenes: dilapidated forest huts, relics of the mining era, camps built by children and teenagers, secret fire pits from the time of the pandemic, forgotten objects left behind. Soon abandoned again, overgrown and almost erased — and yet fleeting traces of human presence, for a wide variety of reasons in these concealed hiding places. Discoverable only by those willing to leave the wide and easy paths behind.
Work in progress. The featured photographs of this series are part of my upcoming photobook 'Verschwiegen'.
Bonn, Germany, 2026
