Dannenroeder Forst
A large brownish-orange portfolio, containing ten loosely interleaved sheets on which fashion photographer Joachim Mueller-Ruchholtz documents the environmental activists of the Dannenroeder forest, adeptly transposes the work’s topic into its format: the sheets, which are folded down the middle and each containing two to four full-page photographs, can be arranged at will, thus reflecting the activists’ non-hierarchical lifestyle. So light are the sheets that they seem in danger of being blown away like leaves, echoing the unsecured structure of the improvised woodland settlement that, for a year, attempted to halt the felling of trees to make way for a motorway. The design of the portfolio, with its oversize font, may appear rather dominant at first glance, but this can also be seen as a gesture of reserve, dispensing with a title image and not flaunting political activism as a prestige project. A conversation between the photographer and participants from the forest is reprinted on the inside of the portfolio, underscoring his personal interest in the case. In a powerful statement, he presents his work without any support from curators or critics. As with other publications in this year’s selection, the design challenges the book form.
