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"The series 'Revier' by Matthiuas JUNG represents a photographic long-term study of the Rhenish lignite mining area and contains multi-layered photographs of people and landscape. - A poignant narrative of home as well as loss.The largest lignite mining area in Europe is located in the far west of Germany, between Cologne, Aachen and Mönchengladbach. In view of the gigantic climatic upheavals, it seems almost anachronistic that day after day a huge bucket-wheel excavator is still digging through the earth, tearing an ever-widening gash in the landscape. Dozens of towns, villages and small cities have already fallen victim to the seemingly endless demand for energy. 50,000 people have been resettled by power plant operators and the state government or fled of their own accord.
Photographer Matthias JUNG has been traveling to the Rhenish lignite mining region again and again for more than six years. With his camera, he has documented not only the dystopian reshaping of the landscape, but above all the people and fates behind it: Environmental activists and forest squatters, the Rhenish Potato Queen and the May Couple, citizens' advisory council and shooting club.