The Shape of F. S. is a personal exploration of my great-grandfather‘s history as a soldier who fought in World War One. Through my work, I aim to create a dialogue between the past and the present, illuminating the enduring legacy of World War I and its impact on my family history.
From the charged landscapes of the Western Front to the personal stories of my great-grandfather, I seek to resolve the distance between myself and my great-grandfather, while also grappling with speculative stories and elusive truths. Alongside my great-grandfather and my mother, I act as a third protagonist who fills in the story in his own way and continues it associative.
The visual narrative of this project incorporates traditional documentary photographs of the contemporary landscape as one layer. This is complemented by various elements, including still lifes of found objects, interpretation of old photos, and subjective moments experienced during my journey.
Field letters written by my great-grandfather during his wartime provide invaluable guidance and insight, often detailing places and impressions that I reinterpret more than 100 years later.
These elements are an attempt to visualize the past by photographing the present. How photography can visualize absence is an integral part of the project. These images are also an attempt to fill in the wide gaps in the narrative and to provide possible clues to the questions „What if? What could have been?“.
As a German with a family history deeply intertwined with both world wars, I strive to approach the transgenerational trauma that may have been passed down to me. I hope to come closer to the truth about my great-grandfather‘s experiences and how they influenced my own identity.
Combined, these elements form a fragmented narrative of my great-grandfather‘s history and provide a platform for interpretation that enables reflection on war and memory. While factual knowledge about historical wars is readily available, I believe that the emotional dimension is often overlooked, even though it can contribute significantly to a deeper understanding of these complex issues.
Arne Piepke Biography
Arne Piepke, born in 1991, is a photographer who grew up in a small village in Germany. His work explores how people find their identity and how they are influenced by their environment and history. Through his photo essays, Arne aims to provide an alternative and surprising view, contributing to a deeper examination and thus to better mutual understanding.
He holds a bachelor's degree in Photography from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Dortmund, Germany. Arne is a founding member of DOCKS, a collective of five documentary photographers who share open-mindedness, honesty, and sensitivity.
Over the years, Arne has received numerous accolades. In 2024, he was nominated for the Gomma Grant. In 2023, he won the Lucie Foundation Scholarship for Fine Art (Professional category) and secured the third prize at the Revela't Photofestival, in addition to being shortlisted for the Nikon Fotobus Grant. In 2022, he was shortlisted for the World Report Award (Short Story), and in 2021, he was nominated for the Felix Schoeller Photo Award (Newcomer) and was a finalist for the W. Eugene Smith Student Grant. He also participated in events such as Odesa Photo Days and the Influences festival.
In 2020, Arne won the Photo Annual Student Work and was a finalist in several prestigious competitions, including the Prix 6Mois du Photojournalisme, the CDS Documentary Essay Prize, the Kaunas Photo Star Award, and the COTM - New Visions. He also won the PDNedu Student Contest and received follow-up project funding. In 2019, he was selected for the Visa Pour l’Image Screening and won the Student World Report Award, while also being shortlisted in various other competitions.
Throughout his career, Arne has self-published several works, including DOCKS, Newspaper II (2020), Ulaanbaatar Magazine (2020), and the book Glaube, Sitte, Heimat (2019). He has collaborated with major publications such as the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post, the Financial Times, ZEIT, Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin, Le Monde, der SPIEGEL, 11 Freunde, ZEIT online, Dagbladet Information, NZZ Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Tortoise Media, FAZ Woche, Tagesspiegel Sonntag, PDNedu, Spiegel Online, and PDN Emerging Photographer.
With an approach that combines talent in colors and composition with a profound sensitivity to the themes he explores, Arne Piepke continues to make significant contributions to the world of documentary photography.