Abstract of the accomplished photographic work
The Americans I Met is a photographic and oral history project documenting the landscapes and voices of people Viktor Hübner encountered while hitchhiking across the U.S. from 2017 to 2019 during the first Trump Era. Covering 41 states and 26,000 kilometers with only his camera, audio recorder, and a few provisions, the Hübner explores the evolving American landscape at a time of profound social and economic change. From wildfire-scarred riverbanks to sprawling suburbs and the vast, untamed West, Hübner captures spaces in flux—where past and future intersect. His images reveal the visual imprint of shifting economies, migration, and political division, showing how landscapes mirror identity, belonging, and division. By juxtaposing urban expansion with rural decline, destruction with renewal, and isolation with connectivity, The Americans I Met aligns architecture and landscape as vessels of history, memory, and transformation.
Published by André Frère Éditions, November 2022
Description of the project you intend to pursue through the Prize
Germany in Transition investigates how architecture and landscape reflect Germany’s shifting identity in a period of political and social transformation. The project serves as the foundation for a visual study, capturing how spaces of memory, industry, and daily life evolve in response to growing political polarization and societal shifts. The aim is to document the intersection of past and future in Germany’s built environment, from repurposed industrial zones to civic spaces shaped by political movements. Photographic fieldwork will focus on urban and rural sites that embody these changes, including former industrial hubs, historic sites, and areas shaped by migration and economic shifts. The final outcome will be a photobook structured as a visual essay, combining large-format urban landscapes with detailed architectural studies to provide a layered narrative. Thoughtful sequencing and high-quality printing will ensure a compelling portrayal of Germany in transition.