Chantal Seitz

NEW ON OUR SHELVES⁠ ⁠ In October 2021, photographer Chantal Seitz sent a letter to her partner’s brother, Collin Davis, who has been incarcerated in California since 2005. By asking him the simple question, “What do you want to see?”, she began a correspondence that enabled him to point her camera at the outside world. The exchange between an incarcerated person and someone on the outside reveals how the penal system dictates who can see what and how they are allowed to see it, but placing Collin indirectly behind the camera resists this control. It is an artistic and journalistic approach to telling a family member’s story. Their collaboration – consisting of Collin’s image requests, the photos Chantal sent in return, and the traces of their restricted communication – lessens the separation between prison and the outside world and returns some of the agency that has been taken from him.⁠ ⁠ „Stay Safe Out There” is the result of an engrossing correspondence. Based on letters, emails, series of photographs as well as facsimiles of leaflets advertising convenience goods to inmates, Google Street View shots of the prison’s walls, and portraits of Davis himself, the book interweaves the two protagonists’ realities. ⁠ ⁠ For more information visit our website. ⁠ ⁠ #distanzpublishing #distanzverlag #newbook @chantalseitz ⁠ @collindavisart @everettguybabcock

Two years ago I sent a letter to Collin, my partner’s brother, who has been incarcerated in California for the last 18 years. Because he has spent half of his life in prison, I felt it would be valuable to him if I asked him what he wanted to see of the world. As simple as that may seem, being in an American prison complicates and limits everything. We wrote to each other over the span of a year, discussing photographs that I took based on his requests. We got to know each other despite the systematically enforced separation and this correspondence resulted in us making a photo book together. Although it began at a personal level, the project addresses broader issues of the prison system like isolation, censorship, and carceral capitalism. »Stay Safe Out There« enables Collin to choose the windows he wants to see the world through, and at the same time, allows us to look through these same windows into his reality. We couldn't be happier and prouder that @zeitmagazin decided to feature our project as the cover story of their yearly photo issue, making Collin's circumstances, and those of many others, more visible. Thank you for caring, for your empathy, and so so many pages! @collindavisart @everettguybabcock @alardkittlitz @milena_carstens @norahollstein @emilia_smechowski @sascha.chaimowicz @andreaswellnitz @annafatmaberge @hiitsmelui @melhipple

Two years ago I sent a letter to Collin, my partner’s brother, who has been incarcerated in California for the last 18 years. Because he has spent half of his life in prison, I felt it would be valuable to him if I asked him what he wanted to see of the world. As simple as that may seem, being in an American prison complicates and limits everything. We wrote to each other over the span of a year, discussing photographs that I took based on his requests. We got to know each other despite the systematically enforced separation and this correspondence resulted in us making a photo book together. Although it began at a personal level, the project addresses broader issues of the prison system like isolation, censorship, and carceral capitalism. »Stay Safe Out There« enables Collin to choose the windows he wants to see the world through, and at the same time, allows us to look through these same windows into his reality. We couldn't be happier and prouder that @zeitmagazin decided to feature our project as the cover story of their yearly photo issue, making Collin's circumstances, and those of many others, more visible. Thank you for caring, for your empathy, and so so many pages! @collindavisart @everettguybabcock @alardkittlitz @milena_carstens @norahollstein @emilia_smechowski @sascha.chaimowicz @andreaswellnitz @annafatmaberge @hiitsmelui @melhipple

Two years ago I sent a letter to Collin, my partner’s brother, who has been incarcerated in California for the last 18 years. Because he has spent half of his life in prison, I felt it would be valuable to him if I asked him what he wanted to see of the world. As simple as that may seem, being in an American prison complicates and limits everything. We wrote to each other over the span of a year, discussing photographs that I took based on his requests. We got to know each other despite the systematically enforced separation and this correspondence resulted in us making a photo book together. Although it began at a personal level, the project addresses broader issues of the prison system like isolation, censorship, and carceral capitalism. »Stay Safe Out There« enables Collin to choose the windows he wants to see the world through, and at the same time, allows us to look through these same windows into his reality. We couldn't be happier and prouder that @zeitmagazin decided to feature our project as the cover story of their yearly photo issue, making Collin's circumstances, and those of many others, more visible. Thank you for caring, for your empathy, and so so many pages! @collindavisart @everettguybabcock @alardkittlitz @milena_carstens @norahollstein @emilia_smechowski @sascha.chaimowicz @andreaswellnitz @annafatmaberge @hiitsmelui @melhipple

Boubou Business One of the many looms in the German factory. In one year they produce 1.5 million meters of fabric to export to West Africa.

Boubou Business Trapped fabric in the German factory

Boubou Business Because companies like Curt Bauer Gmbh have the means to access advanced machinery, they are able to produce a quality of fabric that e.g countries in Africa are unable to match.

Boubou Business Ralph Meincken moved from Hamburg to Aue in eastern Germany because of his Job. For that he travels every few weeks to West Africa to show the newest styles and fabric inventions to the customers.

Boubou Business A detail from the fabric factory in Aue, Germany. Employees cover their lunch with scraps even though the place is not dirty.

Boubou Business Ibrahima Sy took over his father’s shop at Dakar’s largest fabric market. He sells damast made in Germany, which will be used to tailor traditional Muslim robes - the Boubous.