Silberstreif

Silberstreif (Silver Lining), an exhibition by artist Daniela Friebel, is based on the estate of an East German particle physicist from the early period of divided Germany. The letters and photographs trace the coming-of-age of a young man finding his intellectual and existential footing in period of historic upheaval. The physical substance of the documents — creases, handwriting, punch marks — becomes image carrier, sign, metaphor. From this personal correspondence arise visual condensations that point beyond the biographical, raising fundamental questions about freedom, arbitrariness, and responsibility in that era of increasing political rigidity.