Documentary projects

Growing up in Dachau, in close proximity of the former concentration camp and nowadays a memorial centre, Jakob quickly learned how differently the WWII legacy is dealt with, both within Germany and worldwide. To this day, this remains an important motivation for his work. In his artistic practice, he focuses on the radicalisation of youth and how the underlying mechanisms and ideologies can be challenged through a participatory photographic approach. He is particularly interested in the process of exiting an extremist movement and coming to terms with one’s past.
He aims to develop visual strategies which counter the classical representation of such groups, often working in close collaboration with former members of extremist movements. He believes in the necessity of dismantling the visual representation of radical ideologies and offering counter-narratives through photography. As a photographer working with socio-political topics, he positions myself in the midst of mass mediated images. As their co-producer, he explores how these contribute to the cultural othering and the building of misleading stereotypes, while leaving the problematic ideologies intact.