The End Of The Line

The end of the line is a personal interpretation of Berlin’s city edges. Born in the Winter of 2012, this photography project aims to investigate and document the surroundings of Germany’s capital, Berlin. Berlin is often regarded as the most exciting metropolis in Europe. Tourists from all over the world explore the city and not a few stay to live here. Up to 500,000 tourists visit the German capital every day and up to 50,000 people move here every year. Many Berliners, who have been living here for a long time, perceive this increase as a burden. They often notice that the quality of life in the city has clearly decreased compared to the past due to the overcrowding of the city. Visitors and newcomers are particularly interested in the central districts. The people come from all over the world. In many restaurants in popular neighborhoods, such as Kreuzberg, one is only served in English now, and on the street, german senior citizens want to know if you understand German when you ask them for directions. The magnetic effect results in a tremendous increase in cultural diversity throughout the city. At the same time some kind of culture is being lost - the traditional culture of Berlin. It is pushed to the outskirts of the city. In parts it has always been there. But why are neither tourists nor immigrants interested in the edges of this city? Is a closer look worthwhile? Renato Silva captured it in his photographs. He came from Portugal to Berlin ten years ago and has focused his work on the city suburbs, capturing impressions of this "other" Berlin. His pictures were taken around most of the terminal stops of the Berlin S- and U-Bahn network. The exhibition gathers the views of a Portuguese for whom the city Centre was not enough. Over a period of more than four years, he repeatedly got off a train, left a station, and chose a motif. It happened unpredictably and reflected at the same time. His analog camera allowed only a few pictures therefore the choice of motif was accompanied by waiting for the right composition. Spontaneity and patience complemented each other. The true art of documentary photography lies in the search of the unknown. Frank Schäfer