RESIDENCY With Contemporary Art Exchange in BERLIN. During my Berlin residency, I researched and visited a range of sites—both major and minor tourist attractions—connected to WWII and GDR history, including the East Side Gallery, Places of Memorial in Charlottenburg, Mauer Park, Potsdamer Platz, Tempelhof Feld, and the Stasi Museum. My aim was to explore how someone without sight might connect with Germany’s past. By capturing the sounds, smells, textures, and atmosphere of each location, I examined whether my blindness affected my access to their histories.
After each shoot, I worked with sighted photography assistants to interpret the images and compare them with my expectations. Standing still for a few minutes at each site, I listened deeply to the landscape—the traffic, footsteps, even the rustle of grass—building a vivid emotional connection. Later, when colleagues described the images, I was transported straight back to those moments.
I was particularly drawn to places that had transformed from negative to positive identities, reflecting renewal and resilience. The experience also highlighted how strongly WWII continues to shape British perceptions of Germany. Ultimately, the residency was about building friendships, exchanging positive human experiences, and exploring the shared bonds between our two cultures.