OPEN CALL ‘FAUNA’
L E N E M Ü N C H
‘The Island of Riems’
The island of Riems is a place known as the »Island of Diseases«, the »Island of Viruses«, or even the »Mad Island«. For more than 100 years the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI) has been situated on this small german island in the Baltic Sea. Behind high barbed wire fences, very well isolated from the outside world, highly contagious animal diseases are researched in FLI. Mad cow disease, bird flu and hoof-and-mouth disease are the better-known pathogens out of the many more strains of blight studied on this island.
In modern laboratories of the highest level of security, the scientists of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute are developing vaccines against such killer viruses. The biggest part of the laboratories can only be acceded in aseptic protective clothing. The building is permanently under low-pressure to prevent anything from escaping. Therefore the researchers can only leave the building completely naked through a lock, where warm water is automatically sprayed on them for
several minutes. They call it the »showering out«. For animals, on the contrary, there is no escape. They leave the island only in a cremated state. Even the effluent of the animals is heated highly enough to kill every last germ. The FLI is one of the most isolated research institutions in the entire Republic of Germany.
The particular location of the institute on the island is due to the discoverer of the viruses: Mr. Friedrich Loeffler. When he was trying to find a way to contain hoof-and-mouth disease on the mainland during the end of the 19th century, the disease tended to disperse on many occasions to the neighboring farms. Under pressure from the local population Mr. Loeffler was banished to the nearby Island to continue his research in isolation and safety.
FAUNA’ is a new call open to any suggestions on photographic series related to animals. We will be posting the best submissions on Urbanautica and related channels. Deadline is February 18th. One project selected from among those submitted will be published and printed on the 4th issue 4 of “Stand Quarterly” magazine together with the works of Alec Soth, Céline Clanet, Vincent Fournier and Trine Søndergaard. Stand is an advertisement-free photographic journal showcasing the work and thoughts of various contemporary photographers from all areas of the world. Submissions of the series are welcome at info@urbanautica.com or directly on our facebook page. Steve Bisson curator and art director of Urbanautica will also be selecting works for future exhibitions. The selection is made on series (full project). Yet we accept single images to share with our readers here on facebook… Thank you all and best wishes!!!