Inkjet prints, Wallpapers, dimensions variable
Paula Markert’s photo series arose from a close study of the crimes committed by the National Socialist Underground (NSU), a right-wing extremist organization that committed ten murders, numerous attempted murders, and a series of bombings and bank robberies from 2000 to 2007. Markert visits the sites where the extremists operated and creates portraits of the people around them, of police officers and of the victims’ family members. She shows everyday places where the process of radicalization occurred, the built and social environment where the crimes took place, and the spaces involved in the court proceedings. The photographer takes a sober view, depicting the reality that is part of the complex story of the NSU in all its banality. Through objective observation, the images serve as a reminder and a warning about how subtly resentment can spread in everyday life. Thanks to its clarity, Markert’s series exhorts viewers to take a closer look and cultivate a more nuanced view of the social climate.