Upheaval as Utopia Without the ‘Principal of Hope’

Waiting for Europe/Les sans Papiers

Frank Gaudlitz, Jörg Meier

All European states want to achieve freedom and prosperity. In his photographic work, Frank Gaudlitz responds to this utopia with images of people in their everyday lives in Eastern Europe along the Danube River: people from rural areas unspoilt by affluence as well as those who try to sustain their meagre existence in the barren provinces. The outer signs of social life can be read from the clothes, body language, and facial expressions; the pictures give us glimpses into the fragility of human life. These people’s hopes in Europe and in improving their standard of living remain unfulfilled.
Jörg Meier portrayed the so-called Les sans papiers in Paris, people who entered France illegally from African countries and the Caribbean. As unpopular souvenir vendors, they try to eke out the barest minimum for survival. These undocumented migrants stand for many others; they illustrate the dilemma of living in limbo between applying for asylum and receiving a residence and work permit. For most, finding work remains a utopian hope.