Ostwärts - Sehnsucht nach Zukunft

What does the future look like far away from Saxony's big cities? In (small) towns and villages, dreams meet concerns, prejudices meet real life.

The photo documentary ‘Ostwärts - Sehnsucht nach Zukunft’ tells stories of self-initiative, community and hope. It shows people who are searching for new paths despite or precisely because of the challenges of a changing society: Young adults who stay to initiate change and those who leave to return with new ideas. The project sheds new light on a region that is often reduced to clichés, but is actually very diverse.

Between 2020 and 2024, Iona Dutz travelled through places such as Colditz, Zwickau, Grimma, Görlitz and many other rural regions of Saxony. There she met teenagers, young adults and those who are committed to their future.

She documented what it means to live in places that are often overshadowed by the East German metropolises in the public eye - where youth clubs are closing, but new spaces for community are also emerging.

Whether in Bautzen, Bischofswerda or Wurzen - Dutz encountered initiatives and projects in all of these places that are actively shaping their own neighbourhoods. These are stories about community and how people find solutions together. They reflect a longing for a self-determined future that leaves room for dreams.

The project is ongoing.