Fotogalerie Friedrichshain - Kulturring in Berlin e. V.
Helsingforser Platz 1
10243 Berlin – Friedrichshain
ACCESSIBILITY
limited wheelchair accessible WC
Regular opening hours
Mon closedTue 2–6pmWed 2–6pmThu 10am–8pmFri 2–6pmSat 2–6pmSun closed
ADMISSION PRICE
Free admission
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Fotogalerie Friedrichshain - Kulturring in Berlin e. V.
27.02.–25.04.2025
Opening
26.02.2025 7pm
Mariusz Śmiejek: Not Surrendering
Struggle for identity in post-conflict Northern Ireland
Mariusz Śmiejek

Not Surrendering brings us closer to a group of British loyalists, marginalized by their politicians, the royal family, and mainstream media for various reasons. It’s a story about the struggle of loyalists to shape a distinct identity in post-conflict Northern Ireland and introduces us to the daily lives of the British working class, as well as members of its illegal paramilitary groups created to fight against the IRA. Considered terrorist organizations until recently, these associations still carry weight, sow fear, and control Northern Ireland’s Ulster. By focusing on the spaces both communities inhabit, separated by ominous ‘peace walls,’ the photographs bring to the fore the psychological state of siege that permeates working-class districts in Northern Ireland. The long-term series also spotlights the atmosphere of despair that accompanies each successive generation – trapped socially and mentally in unprocessed traumas from which they cannot escape. The aim of the series is to increase awareness and knowledge about the processes of reconciliation in post-conflict societies that are divided territorially, politically, nationally, and religiously.